Platelet Rich Plasma
Intensive research is improving the outcomes of surgical procedures by taking advantage of the body's own natural healing factors. Platelet Rich Plasma, also known as PRP, is one tool receiving significant attention as an adjunct to bone grafting and other oral surgical procedures. The benefit of PRP application has now been shown to be twofold. First, the fibrin component of the material allows for enhanced initial stability of bone grafts resulting in accelerated bony ingrowth from adjacent tissues.
Secondly, the degranulation or breakdown of applied platelets over the following three to five days results in amplified levels of platelet derived growth factors which also lead to more rapid and effective tissue healing and regeneration. The benefits of PRP for patient's include reduced bleeding and bruising, decreased inflammation and swelling, enhanced would closure, accelerated healing of bone grafts, and reduction of overall healing times. The benefit for surgeon's is more predictable and accelerated healing resulting in improved surgical outcomes.
PRP enriched with growth factors is now commonly used for dental implant related bone grafts and many other oral surgical procedures. PRP is derived from a small quantity of the patient's own blood drawn at the time of surgery. Since it is made from the patient's own blood there is no risk of disease transmission. The blood is placed in a special centrifuge that separates and then concentrates the platelets for use in the surgical procedure. Using a specialized delivery syringe the PRP is ultimately activated using a mixture of calcium chloride and thrombin resulting in a gel that is applied to graft materials as well as the surgical site. Previously available almost exclusively in hospital settings for the last ten years, new technologies have now made PRP available and affordable for use in outpatient surgical offices.