Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is what the name suggests. The substance is a by-product of blood (plasma) that’s rich in platelets. Until now, its use continues to be confined to the hospital setting. This was due mainly towards the cost of separating the platelets from the blood (thousands) and also the great deal of blood needed (one unit) to produce a suitable volume of platelets. New technology permits a doctor to reap and produce an adequate volume of platelets from only 55 cc of blood sucked from the patient while they’re having outpatient surgery.
Why All Of The Excitement About PRP?
PRP permits your body to consider the benefit of the normal healing pathways in a greatly accelerated rate. Throughout the recovery process, your body rushes many cells and cell-types to the wound in order to initiate the healing process. One of those cell types is platelets. Platelets perform many functions, including formation of a blood clot and release of growth factors (GF) into the wound. These GF (platelet derived growth factors PGDF, transforming growth factor beta TGF, and insulin-like growth factor ILGF) function to assist your body in repairing itself by stimulating stem cells to regenerate new tissue. The more growth factors released sequestered into the wound, the more stem cells stimulated to create new host tissue. Thus, one can easily observe that PRP permits the body to heal faster and much more efficiently.
A subfamily of TGF is bone morphogenic protein (BMP). BMP has been shown to induce the formation of new bone in research studies in animals and humans. This really is of great significance towards the surgeon who places dental implants. With the addition of PRP, and therefore BMP, to the implant site with bone substitute particles, the implant surgeon can now grow bone more predictably and faster than in the past.
PRP has numerous Clinical Applications
Bone grafting for dental implants. Including onlay and inlay grafts, sinus lift procedures, ridge augmentation procedures, and closure of cleft, lip, and palate defects. Repair of bone defects creating by removal of teeth or small cysts. Repair of fistulas between the sinus cavity and mouth.
PRP also offers several benefits:
- Safety: PRP is a by-product of the patient’s own blood, therefore, disease transmission is not an issue.
- Convenience: PRP could be generated within the doctor’s office while the patient is undergoing an outpatient surgical procedure, such as keeping dental implants.
- Faster healing: The supersaturation from the wound with PRP, and thus growth factors, produces an increase of tissue synthesis and thus faster tissue regeneration.
- Cost effectiveness: Since PRP harvesting is done with only 55 cc of blood in the doctor’s office, the individual do not need to incur the fee for the harvesting procedure in hospital or in the blood bank.
- Ease of use: PRP is easy to handle and actually raises the ease of application of bone substitute materials and bone grafting products by making them more gel-like.
Frequently Asked Questions About PRP
Is PRP safe?
Yes. During the outpatient surgical procedure a small amount of your personal blood is drawn out through the IV. This blood is then placed in the PRP centrifuge machine and spun down. In less than Fifteen minutes, the PRP is formed and able to use.
Should PRP be utilized in all bone-grafting cases?
Not necessarily. In some cases, you don’t have for PRP. However, within the most of cases, use of PRP to the graft will increase the final amount of bone present in accessory for making the wound heal faster and more efficiently.
Will my insurance cover the expense?
Unfortunately, no.
Can PRP be utilized alone to stimulate bone formation?
No. PRP should be combined with either the patient’s own bone, a bone substitute material such as demineralized freeze-dried bone, or a synthetic bone product, such as BIO-OSS.
What are the contraindications to PRP?
Not many. Obviously, patients with bleeding disorders or hematologic diseases do not qualify for this in-office procedure. Check with your surgeon and/or doctor to find out if PRP fits your needs.