The Journal of the American Dental Association
-
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, has become a valuable adjunct in wound healing in dentistry. Postsurgically, blood clots initiate the healing and regeneration of hard and soft tissues. Clinicians and scientists are investigating the use of PRP in dentistry as a way to enhance the body's natural wound-healing mechanisms. TYPES OF ARTICLES REVIEWED: The authors reviewed scientific articles that discuss the basic knowledge of wound healing mechanisms and that directly studied the growth factors shown to be concentrated in PRP. They also reviewed articles written by clinicians and researchers in dentistry fields, including oral and maxillofacial surgery and periodontics to determine applications of PRP in the field of dentistry. ⋯ PRP has proven to be effective at improving surgical results in a variety of procedures in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. PRP also shows promise in periodontal regenerative therapy and should continue to be studied by scientists and clinicians alike.