What is PRP for Dentistry?
Here at My Sherman Dentist, you may have noticed that we offer a service called PRP on our website. It is unlikely that you have ever heard of PRP, at least not in the context of dental care. Read on to learn exactly what PRP is, how it’s made, what it can be used for, and how I’ve incorporated it into my practice!
PRP stands for Platelet Rich Plasma. It can also be referred to as PRF or platelet-rich fibrin. Both are made by taking a vial of the patient’s own blood and spinning it in a centrifuge for 15 +/- minutes at 2800 +/- rpm. That produces in the neighborhood of 300 G’s of force! That force separates the red blood cells (RBCs) from the plasma (yellowish liquid in the blood), fibrin (clotting agent), platelets (clotting agent), and other proteins found in the rest of the blood. Approximately half of the blood volume will be RBCs, but it’s the yellow plasma and fibrin/platelets portion that we want. That’s where the magic happens. The RBC portion is discarded.
The use of PRP and PRF has been around for over 20 years. These techniques were developed to reduce inflammation and speed up the healing process from surgeries. Being made from the patient’s own blood, there was no chance of rejection of the materials and less risk of cross-contamination. These techniques are often touted as ‘regenerative medicine’ and ‘minimally invasive’ in the medical community as they are injected into inflamed joints and potentially postpone or eliminate the need for invasive surgeries.
When spun in a plastic vial or vial with a platelet inhibitor, the yellow plasma layer stays in liquid form. This liquid is full of growth factors that aid in super-charging the healing process and jump-starting the body’s chemical pathways to regeneration. That is why this layer is often injected into areas of inflammation (think chronic joint pain) or used for cosmetic purposes (you may have heard of a PRP facial). It can also be used around dental implant sites to encourage rapid bone formation, increased stability, and decreased failure rates.
When spun in a glass vial, the platelets interact with the silica in the glass to start the clotting process and the entire yellow plasma portion of the vial becomes gelatinous and semi-solid. This mass can be compressed to a plug, flattened into a membrane, or mixed with bone graft material to form ‘gummy bone.’
Having been using PRP/PRF for several years now, I have seen very promising results. I use the liquid form PRP around implants, especially in patients who smoke or have had previous implant failures. I use PRP in its gelatinous form for socket preservations, 3rd molar extraction site plugs, membrane formations, and to make gummy bone for ridge preservation grafts. Compared to techniques without PRP/PRF, I have seen dramatically shorter healing times and much less post-operative inflammation and discomfort. I highly recommend it for all lower 3rd molars (wisdom teeth) extractions to prevent dry-socket. If you are receiving IV sedation for your treatment, then adding PRP is often as simple as drawing a couple of vials of blood from the IV site you’re already getting!
In conclusion, PRP/PRF treatments are minimally invasive, autogenous (from the patient’s own body), regenerative, and highly successful in reducing inflammation and decreasing both healing time and post-operative discomfort after surgeries. In dentistry, they are improving outcomes of implant placements, extractions, and bone grafting. If you are having any dental surgery here at My Sherman Dentist, ask if PRP is an option for you!