One not so new concept that is gaining momentum in dental surgery is concentrating blood to extract out the part rich with growth factors and anti-inflammatory cells. This powerful regenerative extract can then be added to a wound to stimulate healing and repair. These extracts are known as platelet rich fibrin, or PRF when a clot is used and platelet rich plasma or PRP when clotting is inhibited before the platelets are concentrated.

Platelet rich fibrin is produced from a patient’s own blood to use in various dental procedures. It concentrates one's own growth factors, stem cells and leukocytes into a bioactive membrane. Dr. Ebner uses platelet rich fibrin, or PRF, membrane in her surgical procedures such as implant placement, extraction and bone grafting. The PRF is rich with bioactive, autogenous ( from the person's own blood) additives that help the extraction site heal, promote stronger bone formation, decrease inflammation and enhance the body's own wound repairing abilities.

The PRF membrane is a reservoir of  leukocytes and cytokines, stem cells, monocytes, granulocytes as well as numerous growth factors. When used in dental surgery, it creates a matrix that the body uses to guide bone and  tissue to grow and soft tissue to repair and regenerate. 

When used after a tooth is extracted, the PRF membrane can be placed in the extraction site or added to donor bone for bone grafting procedure. The PRF aids the extraction site in accelerating healing, helps keep the area free of infection and clean of debris. It also can help avoid dry socket, a painful complication of surgery. PRFcan be beneficial to boost healing and regenerative repair at the site of a dental implant placement.

The use of the body's natural healing chemical concentrated into platelet rich fibrin or platelet rich plasma has the advantage of using one's own biological products that promote healing and repair in a concentrated form. It provides a scaffolding for regeneration of bone and tissue and continues providing natural growth factors and anti-inflammatory effects for 10 to 14 days.

If you are interested in using PRF for your dental procedure, such as tooth extraction, bone grafting, dental implants or gum grafting, make an appointment with Dr. Ebner to see if you are a candidate.