Leukocyte-platelet rich fibrin (L-PRF) is a by-product of your own blood (plasma). This advanced platelet rich fibrin treatment is commonly used in Oral Surgery procedures to support healing and tissue regeneration after procedures such as Dental Implants, Tooth Extractions, and bone grafting.
Technology now allows doctors to process blood drawn from a patient to harvest a sufficient quantity of platelets from only 20-50 cc of blood. The patient’s blood is placed into a centrifuge to separate the different components: red blood cells, platelets, and leukocytes. The result is a L-PRF clot rich in platelets and growth factors. The clot is placed into the patient’s surgical site to enhance and quicken the healing process.
Many patients researching a PRF Dental Procedure are interested in how natural healing methods may improve comfort and recovery following Oral Surgery. Because L-PRF is created from the patient’s own blood, it is considered a natural approach to supporting the body’s healing response.
L-PRF permits the body to take advantage of the normal healing pathways at an accelerated rate. During the healing process, the body rushes many cell types to the wound in order to initiate the healing process. Platelets and leukocytes are some of those cell types.
The option to add L-PRF to your procedure deliberately increases the concentration of leukocytes and platelets to enhance the healing process. Thus, L-PRF permits the body to heal quicker and more efficiently.
One of the key benefits of platelet rich fibrin is its ability to support both soft tissue healing and bone regeneration without the use of synthetic additives. L-PRF may also help improve blood supply to the surgical site, which can contribute to a healthier healing environment.
L-PRF can be used to aid bone grafting for Dental Implants. This includes sinus lift procedures, ridge augmentation procedures, and palate defects. It can also assist in repair of bone defects created by removal of teeth, or small cysts and repair of fistulas between the sinus cavity and mouth.
A particularly important component is bone morphogenic protein (BMP). It has been shown to induce the formation of new bone in research studies, a great significance for placing Dental Implants. By adding L-PRF to the implant site with bone substitute particles, the oral surgeon can now grow bone more predictably and faster than before. The combination of the two can provide a more stable and favorable environment for the dental implant to fuse with the surrounding bone increasing the probability of success for the implant.
For patients considering Dental Implants, PRF therapy for Dental Implants may help support healing after implant placement and bone grafting procedures. In many cases, L-PRF dental applications are used to encourage tissue regeneration and help create a stronger foundation for long-term implant stability.
In some cases, there’s no need for L-PRF. However, in the majority of cases, application of L-PRF to the graft will increase the final amount of bone present, in addition to making the wound heal faster and more efficiently.
Are there any contraindications to L-PRF?
How is a PRF dental procedure different from traditional healing methods?
A PRF dental procedure uses concentrated platelets and leukocytes from the patient’s own blood to support healing after Oral Surgery. This process may help enhance tissue repair, improve healing efficiency, and support bone regeneration following procedures like Dental Implants and Bone Grafting.
Speak with your oral surgeon or request an appointment to determine if L-PRF is right for you.
