February 14, 2017

What is Platelet Rich Fibrin?

Dr. Chilcoat @ 9:16 am

How does platelet rich fibrin work?Recovery is one of the most important parts of oral surgery, and most of it doesn’t even happen at our office. We simply perform procedures the best we can and then instruct the patient on how to take care of themselves afterward, only having occasional follow-up appointments. As doctors, you can imagine that we’d love to have more control over this part of the process. Thankfully, we can thanks to something called platelet rich fibrin (PRF). It is a tool we use to help patients heal faster whether we are extracting their wisdom teeth or placing dental implants. It’s a significant advancement in the field of oral surgery, and something we use whenever we can. At this point, you’re probably wondering what is platelet rich fibrin. Today, we’re going to take a little time to explain it.

The Basics of Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF)

The easiest way to start to define PRF is to break it down word by word.

  • Platelet- This is the component of your blood that makes it clot, allowing you to heal whenever a blood vessel has been ruptured or damaged. It’s what actually forms scabs.
  • Rich- This simply means that there is a higher concentration of platelets in PRF than in your regular blood.
  • Fibrin- This is a protein that is formed in your blood when it clots, and works with platelets to stop bleeding. It basically serves as the framework for the platelets.

PRF is a refined substance that is extracted from your own blood. We simply take some of your blood (like when you go to donate) and put it in a powerful centrifuge. We will spin it at 3000 RPM for about 10 minutes to cause the elements in your blood to separate. The top most layer will be PRF, which ends up being a jelly-like consistency with a yellow color. This gel is then extracted and stored to be used after your oral surgery to help you heal.

How We Use PRF To Help You

PRF is rich in the natural parts of your body that allow you to heal, so by extracting a concentrated amount of it, we are able to speed up the recovery process at your surgical site. Whether your gums or jawbone need to heal, it works for either. We simply apply a mesh with PRF to the site and it makes your blood clot faster as well as speed up the repair of the surrounding tissues.

The end result is that you have a faster recovery and have less of a chance to develop an infection. PRF is completely safe because it is made of your own blood, so it’s about as natural as it gets. It is simple and inexpensive to make, and easy for your doctor to apply, making it a viable option for just about anyone who comes into our office. It allows us to make your experience even better, and helps you get the final result in less time.

Any Questions?

PRF was developed in 2000 and has helped countless patients since. We’re happy to provide this service for you no matter what procedure you are getting. Of course, this was just a very basic overview of how it works, so if you still have questions, please be sure to ask, especially if you plan to come see us.

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