PRP/PRF Blood Draw
Our team at Oral Implant and Reconstructive Dentistry (OIRD) makes the most of every tool available to help you have a faster recovery time. One of the most innovative options we use is PRP/PRF.
PRP/PRF are acronyms for platelet-rich plasma and platelet-rich fibrin, respectively. Dentists use these two processes to extract platelets from blood to help in speeding healing after oral surgery, such as dental implants or extraction.
While some people use PRP and PRF interchangeably, they refer to different but closely related treatments. Of the two, PRF is the treatment used most often today in high-end oral surgical offices, such as ours.
Both PRP and PRF depend on the blood's natural substance that causes blood to clot to help the body to heal faster after oral surgery.
Vital components in the healing process with PRP and PRF include the following:
Fibrin is a component of your blood that causes your blood to clot and stop flowing after an injury or surgical procedure.
Leukocytes are the powerful bacteria and infection fighters in the blood, also known as the white blood cells.
Plasma is the liquid part of the blood that contains proteins, salts, and infection-fighting components.
Platelets aid in both healing and blood clotting.
Stem Cells are cells that lack designated jobs, allowing them to be used for a variety of tasks in the body, including bone and blood vessel formation. Growth factors from PRP/PRF attract these stem cells to the site of the surgery to aid in healing.
For both PRP and PRF, the dentist draws blood from the patient and uses a centrifuge to separate the blood into its components. One of these parts is a concentrated layer of materials with a high percentage of platelets. When applied to the oral surgery site, the growth factors in the concentrated mixture prompt speedier healing.
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. It may also have other components added to it to enhance its properties. Dentists began applying this technology to oral surgery patients in 1997, predating the first use of PRF by four years.
There are two main subtypes of PRP: P-PRF (pure platelet-rich fibrin), L-PRF (leukocyte and platelet-rich fibrin), and I-PRF (injectable platelet-rich fibrin).
To acquire these platelets, the dentist draws blood and puts the blood into a centrifuge, which spins it. The first spin separates the blood into three parts: plasma, buffy coat, and red blood cells. A second spin in the centrifuge concentrates the platelets in the plasma further and yields either platelet-poor plasma, red blood cells, and L-PRP or platelet-poor plasma and P-PRP.
In some cases, the platelet concentration has anticoagulants added to it, especially if the dentists could not use the substance immediately.
Today, PRP is not used regularly in dental practices because this older technology required extra time to centrifuge the blood and more expensive equipment for producing PRP.
In practices that do use it, the dentists typically combine the PRP with other materials, such as bone grafting material to optimize its use. For example, a dentist may mix PRP with bone graft material and place it into an extraction socket then top the spot with PRF as a durable cover.
PRF, platelet-rich fibrin, has supplanted PRP as the preferred substance to help speed healing because it works well on its own without the need to add other substances. Dentists prefer PRF due to its faster and simpler production method compared to PRP.
PRF has three main forms: pure platelet-rich fibrin (P-PRF), leukocyte and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF), and injectable platelet-rich fibrin (I-PRF). L-PRF has added white blood cells, and I-PRF has a thinner texture that allows a dentist to inject it.
To create PRF, a dentist will take blood and put it into a centrifuge. This machine spins the vials of blood to separate them into their parts based on density with the platelet-poor plasma on top, platelet-rich fibrin in the middle, and red blood cells on the bottom. By compressing the platelet-rich fibrin clot into a membrane, the dentist has a durable material to place inside an extraction socket or over an oral surgery site.
Typically, after an extraction, a blood clot will naturally form to protect the site, though this process can take time. PRF has the advantage over a blood clot because it is more stable. Plus, the dentist can place a membrane of PRF on the site at the end of surgery, providing immediate protection and hastening healing.
Oral surgeons use PRP/PRF in several ways to help patients after surgery.
Bone Grafting: PRP/PRF with added grafting material boosts bone growth rate.
Dental Implants: Dental implants require surgical insertion of a screw into the jaw and placement of a crown after the surgery site heals. Using PRP/PRF on the implant site encourages faster tissue healing on the surface and bone growth underneath.
Oral Surgery: PRP/PRF after oral surgery may reduce pain and bleeding and improve healing rates.
Tooth Extractions: After having a tooth pulled, the patient that gets PRP/PRF won't have to wait for a natural blood clot to form. The PRP/PRF encourages faster healing and helps patients avoid dry socket from dislodged blood clots.
PRP/PRF uses components from your blood to help encourage the body's natural healing processes.
Platelets are the active ingredient in PRP and PRF. Platelets have vital components, leukocytes and growth factors, which trigger faster healing and repair processes.
When applied to the surgical site, the growth factors in the PRP or PRF attract stem cells to the area that aid in rebuilding. White blood cells prevent infection after oral surgery.
PRP/PRF offers patients several benefits after their oral surgery, including the following:
Easy, In-Office Blood Draw: The first step for PRP/PRF is drawing a blood sample for the centrifuge. If you've ever had blood drawn at the doctor's office, you know how fast and simple this procedure is.
Faster Healing After Surgery: The growth factors in PRP/PRF work quickly to start rebuilding the tissue and bone at the surgery site, helping you to recover from your procedure faster.
Lower Infection Chances: White blood cells in PRP/PRF fight off infections naturally, helping to lower your chances of postoperative complications.
For patients, the process of getting a PRP/PRF blood draw and application are effortless. Always talk to your oral surgeon before any procedure with PRP/PRF to discuss all allergies or medical conditions you have. You should also notify the dentist of any medications that you are taking, especially if you take anything that impacts clotting.
In the office, you will first have your blood taken. The number of vials will depend on the amount of PRP/PRF the dentist needs.
PRP has a thinner form that may be injected into the surgical site. PRF usually is a denser membrane the dentist places over the wound.
As a patient, you will likely have faster healing time and less pain with PRP/PRF after oral surgery.
Studies support these effects of PRP/PRF following oral surgery. In a systematic review of studies examining the efficacy of PRF, two-thirds of the studies showed patients had lower pain after their dental procedures when treated with PRF. Additionally, one week after the procedure, patients in three-fourths of the studies had better wound healing.
In all cases of oral surgery, always follow your dentist's directions for aftercare at home and scheduling any follow up visits.
Our team in Lewis Center, Ohio, is proud to offer our patients PRP/PRF to help them heal faster and better after oral surgery. Contact us to learn more or schedule a consultation.
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145 Green Meadows Dr S,
Lewis Center, OH 43035
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