Dental Implants Benefiting From Platelet-rich Plasma Therapy

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Dental News
Although associated more with orthopedics and sports medicine, platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP), is showing strong potential for accelerated healing of dental implants, according to the editor of the Journal of Oral Implantology James Rutkowski, DMD, PhD.

Dr. Rutkowski reported at the recent annual scientific meeting of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry that PRP therapy can accelerate bone and tissue growth and wound healing and help to better insure long-term success of dental implant procedures.

PRP Explained
Platelet-rich plasma is obtained from a small sample of the patient's own blood. It is centrifuged to separate platelet growth factors from red blood cells. The concentration of platelets triggers rapid growth of new bone and soft tissue. "There is very little risk because we are accelerating the natural process in which the body heals itself," Rutkowski went on to say, "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."

"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," said Rutkowski.

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