Bone and Tissue Growth for Dental Implants Enhanced by Platelet-rich Plasma

According to James Rutkowski, DMD, PhD, platelet-rich plasma therapy can accelerate bone and tissue growth and wound healing- important factors for determining the long-term success of dental implant placements.

Rutkowski states, "What could be better than using the body's own regenerative powers to grow bone and soft tissue safely and quickly? For dental implant procedures, PRP treatments can jump start bone growth and implant adherence in just two weeks, which cuts down the time between implant placement and affixing the permanent crown."

Platelet-rich plasma is collected from a small amount of a patient’s own blood. It is then centrifuged to isolate platelet growth factors from red blood cells. The concentration of platelets triggers the accelerated growth of new bone and tissue.
Rutkowski adds, "There is very little risk because we are accelerating the natural process in which the body heals itself. PRP speeds up the healing process at the cellular level, and there is virtually no risk for allergic reaction or rejection because we use the patient's own blood."

Platelet-rich plasma is applied in dental implants as a mixed gel that is placed directly in tooth sockets and other sites. It is also effective for  aiding bone grafts for dental implants, leading to proper bone integration. Growth factors in the platelet-rich therapy mixture aid the grafts in bonding quickly with the patient’s own bone. Rutkowski claims that one of this studies found an increase in radiographic bone density during the initial two weeks following platelet-rich therapy compared to cases without the treatment.

Rutkowski concludes that, "Accelerated healing is a goal we've been seeking in implant dentistry and we now have treatment that activates the natural healing process. It is a very promising development for implant dentistry.”