PRF Therapy (Platelet Rich Fibrin)
Encourage Your Body’s Natural Healing Process
Support Your Surgical Recovery With PRF Therapy in Virginia Beach
Oral surgery starts the treatment process, but healing continues long after your procedure is complete. Eastern Virginia OMS may incorporate platelet-rich fibrin into your surgical care to support your body's natural recovery response. During PRF therapy in Virginia Beach, PRF is created from a small sample of your own blood and placed directly at the treatment site.
PRF may be used during dental implant placement, wisdom teeth removal, bone grafting, or other oral surgery procedures. It contains concentrated platelets within a fibrin matrix, along with components involved in your body's natural healing process. Placing PRF at the surgical site can support tissue repair and may help manage post-operative discomfort.
Our surgeons use PRF when they determine it can complement your procedure and recovery plan. Supporting comfortable recovery is part of our practice's broader effort to reduce reliance on opioid pain medication when possible.
See How the PRF Process Works
Creating platelet-rich fibrin begins with drawing a small amount of your blood. The sample is processed in a centrifuge to separate and concentrate components involved in healing, including platelets and fibrin. Your oral surgeon can then apply this fibrin-rich material directly to the surgical area.
Once placed, the fibrin matrix provides a framework that supports your body's natural tissue-repair processes during early healing. Because PRF is derived from your own blood, it does not require donor blood products. It can be used around bone, soft tissue, grafting sites, and dental implants when clinically appropriate.
PRF is an adjunct to surgical treatment rather than a replacement for careful surgical technique or post-operative care. Your surgeon will determine whether it is appropriate based on your procedure and individual needs.
Ask Eastern Virginia OMS how PRF therapy in Virginia Beach may fit into your surgical treatment and recovery.
Support Natural Healing
Concentrated platelets and fibrin provide a framework that supports the body's natural tissue-repair process after surgery.
Manage Post-Operative Discomfort
Supporting the healing response may also reduce discomfort during the early stages of recovery for some patients.
Aid Soft Tissue Recovery
PRF can be placed around surgical areas to provide additional support as nearby soft tissues begin to heal.
Complement Bone Healing
Platelet-rich fibrin may be used after bone grafting or implant procedures to support the healing environment around the treatment site.
Help Limit Opioid Reliance
When appropriate, PRF can be one part of a recovery approach intended to manage discomfort while limiting reliance on opioid medication.
Frequently Asked Questions About PRF Therapy
Q What is PRF therapy?
Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) therapy uses a small sample of a patient's own blood to create a concentrated fibrin material containing platelets and other components involved in healing. The resulting PRF can be placed directly at an oral surgery site to complement the body's natural recovery processes.
Q How does platelet-rich fibrin support healing?
Platelet-rich fibrin forms a fibrin matrix at the treatment site that provides a framework for the early healing process. Platelets within the material release growth factors needed for tissue repair. This concentrated material may support the recovery of soft tissue and bone following certain oral and maxillofacial procedures.
Q Which oral surgery procedures may use PRF?
PRF can be incorporated into oral surgery procedures such as dental implant placement, bone grafting, and wisdom teeth removal. It may also be useful during other oral surgical procedures when additional support for the healing environment is appropriate. Whether PRF is recommended depends on the procedure, surgical site, and individual patient.
Q How is platelet-rich fibrin prepared?
A small sample of the patient's blood is collected and placed into a centrifuge to prepare platelet-rich fibrin. Spinning the sample separates and concentrates components such as platelets and fibrin, creating the material used during treatment. The oral surgeon then places the prepared PRF directly at the surgical site when appropriate.
Q Is PRF made from my own blood?
Yes. PRF is produced from a small sample of your own blood rather than from donor blood. After processing, the concentrated fibrin material is returned to the surgical site. Using the patient's own blood is one of the characteristics that distinguishes PRF from externally sourced materials used in some surgical procedures.
Q Can PRF help with discomfort after oral surgery?
PRF may support a more comfortable recovery for some patients after oral surgery by complementing the body's natural healing response at the surgical site. Its effect varies according to the procedure and the individual patient. It may also be incorporated into a broader pain-management strategy intended to reduce reliance on opioid medication.
Q Why is PRF used with dental implants or bone grafts?
Dental implant placement and bone grafting depend on successful healing of the tissues surrounding the surgical site. PRF may be placed in these areas to provide a fibrin framework and concentrated platelets that support the healing environment. It supplements the surgical procedure but does not replace the implant or grafting material.
Q How long does PRF stay in the surgical area?
PRF is not intended to remain permanently at the surgical site. Its fibrin matrix gradually breaks down as healing progresses, while growth factors are released during the early recovery period. The exact healing process varies based on the procedure, treatment area, and individual patient's response.
