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Platelet Rich Plasma
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a specially prepared product made from a patient’s own donated blood which is rich in platelets (a type of cell that makes up blood). Why all of the excitement about PRP? PRP accelerates and enhances the normal healing pathways of the body. Until recently, the use of PRP has been confined to the hospital setting. This was due mainly to the cost of separating the platelets from the blood and the large amount of blood needed to produce a suitable concentration of platelets. Technology now permits your doctor to harvest and concentrate a sufficient quantity of platelets from the patient during outpatient surgery.
Why all the excitement about PRP? PRP permits the body to take advantage of the normal healing pathways at a greatly accelerated rate.
PRP has many clinical applications:
- Bone grafting for dental implants. This includes sinus lift and ridge expansion procedures.
- Repair of defects of the jaw creating by removal of teeth, cysts or tumors.
- Repair of fistulas between the sinus cavity and mouth.
- Reconstructive surgery of the upper and lower jaw.
- Repair of cleft lip and palate defects.
PRP has many advantages:
- Safety: PRP is a product of a patient’s own blood, therefore, disease transmission is not an issue.
- Convenience: PRP is prepared in the doctor’s office while a patient is undergoing an outpatient surgical procedure such as placement of dental implants.
- Faster healing: PRP supersaturates of the wound with healing and growth factors which results in faster, enhanced tissue regeneration.
- Cost effectiveness: Since PRP preparation is done with only a small amount of blood donated in the doctor’s office, the patient does not incur additional hospital or blood back expenses.
- Ease of use: PRP improves the ability of your surgeon to handle, place, and keep bone graft material exactly where it is intended during surgery.
Frequently asked questions about PRP:
- Is PRP made? During the outpatient surgical procedure, a small amount of your own blood is drawn from the same IV line used for your anesthesia . This blood is placed in a specially designed centrifuge machine and spun to separate the platelets from the other blood cells. In less than fifteen minutes, the PRP solution is prepared and ready to use.
- Is PRP used in all bone grafting procedure? Not always. In some cases, there is no need for PRP. Your surgeon will discuss whether or not your case will benefit from the enhanced healing capacity that PRP provides.
- Will my insurance cover the costs? Usually not. The cost of PRP preparation is borne by the patient, and most people find the costs very reasonable considering the benefits that PRP provides.
- Can PRP be use to stimulate bone formation without a bone graft? No. PRP must be mixed with either the patient’s own bone, donor bone (from a human or bovine source), or synthetic bone.
- Are there any contraindications to PRP? Hardly any. Patients with certain types of bleeding disorders and/or allergies may not qualify for this in-office procedure. Check with your surgeon and/or primary care physician to determine if PRP is right for you.
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