Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy (PRP) is an exciting way to speed up your recovery from dental procedures using special healing proteins that occur naturally in your blood called growth factors.
PRP is sometimes referred to as “autologous blood concentrates,” which simply means that the plasma we use to accelerate the healing process comes from your own body. Dr. K Ashraf utilizes a specially-calibrated centrifuge to separate the platelets from other components of the blood. Then we reintroduce the PRP to your body to enhance the healing process.
In addition to providing therapeutic growth factors, PRP also causes the patient’s blood to clot in order to stop any bleeding that might occur. PRP can be used as a liquid, a gel, or a membrane, depending on the type of procedure you’re having:
- PRP liquid – This configuration is meant for longer surgical procedures. The PRP is mixed with an anticoagulant which prevents it from clotting prematurely.
- PRP gel – This PRP configuration is already clotted. Clotting the PRP before use avoids releasing growth factors too early, making clotted PRP best for short surgeries.
- PRP membrane – By flattening PRP into a membrane, we get a sheet-like configuration that’s ideal for use with bone grafting because the membrane helps hold the bone graft material together while infusing it with growth factors.
We use PRP therapy for faster and more effective healing with procedures that require extensive soft or hard tissue regeneration. Learn more about some of the procedures we frequently pair with PRP therapy.
Tissue grafting is a common service we use to restore receding gums and improve the aesthetics of your smile. We use PRP therapy during the procedure to stimulate your body’s natural healing response, encouraging tissue growth and restoring your gums more quickly.
When a patient requires bone grafting, we can integrate platelet-rich plasma therapy into the procedure. The PRP we extract from your blood contains hundreds of growth factors that facilitate your body’s natural healing response.
Using the PRP membrane configuration also helps to contain the bone graft material, increasing the speed and quality of your recovery.
Tooth Extraction
Tooth extraction typically involves a time-consuming recovery period. PRP therapy is helpful with extractions because the platelet-rich plasma promotes clotting to stop the bleeding in addition to providing growth factors that hasten your recovery. We do this by applying PRP gel to the extraction site, boosting the healing process and reducing the risk for dry socket.
A major benefit of the faster healing time you get with PRP is that it allows you to receive your replacement tooth much sooner.
The dental implant process typically takes about 3 to 9 months to complete. This includes the patient’s recovery time from placement surgery, but we can reduce the length of your recovery using PRP therapy.
In some cases, Dr. K Ashraf determines that one or more supplemental procedure will help prepare the patient for the dental implant process. Common supplemental treatments include bone grafting or treatment for gum disease. PRP therapy can reduce the recovery time for these treatments, streamlining the implant process and shortening the path to your new smile.
Dry Socket Prevention
Blood clotting is a natural process designed to prevent bleeding. Sometimes after a tooth is extracted, the blood clot that’s protecting the empty socket either dissolves or becomes dislodged. The affected area is then left vulnerable to any food or drink that’s consumed, which can lead to discomfort and even infection.
Following an extraction, PRP therapy gives your body a head start on the healing process. Dr. K Ashraf will apply the PRP gel to the extraction site, accelerating your recovery and reducing your risk of developing a dry socket.