PRP (PLATELET RICH PLASMA)
Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a new approach to tissue regeneration. It is widely used in various surgical fields, including head and neck surgery, otolaryngology, cardiovascular surgery, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery and maxillofacial surgery such as bone grafting, soft tissue grafting and dental implants. Commonly, PRP is used in a gel formulation, which is formed by mixing PRP (derived from the centrifugation of your own whole blood) with thrombin and calcium chloride. PRP gel includes a high concentration of platelets and a native concentration of fibrinogen.
During wound healing, platelets are among the very first cells to respond to begin the process of healing and repair. Besides their benefit of being coagulating (clot forming) cells, platelets form a rich source of important growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), trans-forming growth factor-b (TGF-b) 1 and 2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). All of these factors are immensely important in the angiogenic cascade which assists in both hard and soft tissue wound healing.
PRP has become an invaluable asset for hard and soft tissue oral surgery. It has been shown beneficial in jawbone regeneration, sinus augmentations, extaction site grafting, treatment of certain bone defects caused by periodontal disease, periodontal plastic surgery and anything related to dental implant surgery. The adhesive nature of PRP facilitates the easier handling of all bone graft material, with more predictable soft tissue closure. It has also been shown to reduce bleeding, swelling and has been shown to decrease post-operative discomfort as well. Recently, the use of PRP has also been proposed in the management of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) or vascular necrosis, which is cause by other factors such as radio-necrosis from cancer treatment. The ultimate goal with PRP is to increase wound healing and bone and soft tissue maturation.
The major effects of PRP come from PDGF which is derived in the process. PDGF has been identified as a very important protein for hard and soft tissue healing. It has also been shown to stimulate chemotaxis, mitogenesis and the replication of STEM CELLS at the site of a wound to the site of tissue injury.
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How is PRP obtained?
If PRP is being used during your dental surgery, after Dr.Culley has started your IV for your sedation, he uses a port on the IV to draw your own blood in special collection tubes. While you are undergoing your procedure, the tubes are treated according to our PRP system’s manufacturer directions in the safety and sterility of our laboratory. If you are not having surgery, Dr. Culley will draw your blood just as they would in a hospital so it can be processed.
Benefits of PRP…
- Better healing of bone
- Better healing of soft tissues
- Better hemostasis (less bleeding)
- Reduced post-op swelling
- Decreased post-op discomfort
- Increased osseointegration rates for implants
- Decreased chances for post-op complications
- Decreases chances of complications in smokers
- Promotes healing in diabetics
- No chance of disease transmission
- Overall better healing in everyone
Since Dr. Culley integrated PRP into the practice, both he and the staff have been amazed at the differences in healing and how much better all surgical procedures are healing. In their eyes, it has completely changed the way they expect procedures to heal. Dr. Culley feels so strongly that PRP is a benefit, he uses it on every surgical procedure he can. He also feels it is such a benefit that it needs to be used without concern for the cost, so he includes it with the procedures at NO ADDITIONAL COST to you. If you check around, many offices do not use PRP and those that do will bill you a considerable amount ($400 plus) to use it.