Platelet RichFibrin or PRF is a by-product of blood that is exceptionally rich in platelets and growth factors. It is a technique developed by a French surgeon Dr. Joseph Choukroun and it is a technique that Dr. Martone is trained to use . She introduced it into her practice two years ago. Prior to this, Dr. Martone used PRP (platelet rich plasma) for many years, however, she switched to the a-PRF since there are more growth factors in this technique.
The blood platelets and growth factors perform several essential functions in the body, including blood clot formation and the facilitation of wound healing. These growth factors stimulate the stem cells to produce new host tissue as quickly as possible, which is why platelet rich fibrin is so effective in the post-treatment healing process.
There are several ways in which PRf can be used in clinical dentistry:
Bone Grafting For Implants – This includes closure of a cleft lip and cleft palate deformities, sinus lifts, ridge augmentation, and both inlay and onlay grafts.
Bone Repair – PRF can be used in facial trauma reconstruction, repairing of defects due to tooth removal, or the removal of growths and cysts.
Fistula Repair – This includes the repair of fistulas between the mouth and the sinus cavity.
Reasons for platelet rich fibrin treatment
Platelet rich fibrin application is now widely used to expedite the post-procedure healing process and is completely safe. Since the blood used will come from the patient’s own body, disease transmission is not a factor. Almost all patients report a much greater degree of comfort immediately after their procedure. There are also several more distinct advantages of PRF:.
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Accelerated Healing – The saturation of the wound with PRF helps increase tissue synthesis due to its growth factors, and this in turn results in faster tissue regeneration. Speedier healing decreases the risk of later infections, complications, and discomfort.
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Safety and Convenience – Disease transmission is non-issue since the blood is harvested from the patient’s own blood supply. The amount of blood needed is small and can be collected at the time of implant placement or bone grafting procedure.
What does platelet rich fibrin treatment involve?
A small (about 2 oz) sample of your blood will be collected during your appointment The blood will be placed into a centrifuge and the platelets and growth factors are separated out. Both of these are either mixed with graft material or used as a membrane to cover the surgical site.This procedure greatly facilitates healing and reduce post-operative discomfort.
Dr. Martone will provide aftercare instructions pertaining to the surgery and a prescription for pain medication as required.
If you have any questions about treatment with platelet rich fibrin or would like to find out if you are a candidate and can benefit from this treatment, please contact our office today to schedule an appointment.