The Evidence Behind Use of PRF in Dental Procedures
Researchers recently published a 15-year retrospective study in the Journal of Oral Implantology that evaluates the use of the novel method, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF).
Journal of Oral Implantology — Researchers from the University Hospital Frankfurt Goethe University, Nova Southeastern University, University Medical Center, Germany, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Germany, and the Pain Therapy Center in France recently published a 15-year retrospective study in the Journal of Oral Implantology that evaluates the use of the novel method, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). This is a one-step method to obtain the platelet concentrates that are needed to aid in the regeneration of soft tissue and bone, thereby creating a stable environment to perform oral procedures.
In their analysis, the researchers examined 72 papers that met the study criteria. These articles comprised 21 randomized clinical trials, 21 nonrandomized controlled prospective studies, 13 quasi-experimental studies, and 17 case-control studies. Overall, 1,861 patients were involved in PRF studies and the highest application of PRF was used in the maxillofacial field of dentistry (40%), followed by periodontology (36.1%), implantology (13.8%), endodontics (8.3%), and orthodontics (1.3%).
The researchers determined that more than 70% of patients were involved in highly evidence-based studies. They found 38 studies showing PRF as a beneficial tool to enhance bone and soft tissue regeneration, and an additional 17 papers that reported PRF as the sole biomaterial used. Additionally, in nine studies, PRF showed significant improvement in periodontal probing depths and clinical attachment levels. Seven articles reported significantly enhanced new bone formation during socket preservation and ridge augmentation. Finally, regarding treatment with PRF for medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, 96 of 101 patients healed uneventfully. Of the 72 articles examined, only one showed results favoring the control group versus the PRF-treated group.
Given the level of success using PRF as a method of soft tissue and bone regeneration, the researchers believe a standardization of PRF protocols should be put into place in order to create additional studies with higher levels of scientific evidence. Moving forward, the clinical community will benefit from such studies to promote PRF in tissue regeneration.
Full text of the article, “Fifteen Years of Platelet Rich Fibrin in Dentistry and Oromaxillofacial Surgery: How High Is the Level of Scientific Evidence?,” published in the Journal of Oral Implantology, Vol. 44, No. 6, 2018, is available at http://www.joionline.org/doi/full/10.1563/aaid-joi-D-17-00179.
