Nature’s Growth Factors at Work in Dentistry

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), a concentrate obtained from the patient’s own blood, has attracted growing interest for its ability to promote wound healing and support tissue regeneration. PRF’s underlying strength lies in its naturally formed concentration mixture of growth factors including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-b), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and various cytokines.¹ These growth factors play a pivotal role in tissue healinzzg and regeneration by stimulation normal cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation.

Physiologically, after an injury is made, wound healing occurs in four overlapping phases: initial hemostasis, the inflammatory phase, the proliferative phase, and the remodeling phase. Platelets manage hemostasis by blocking blood vessels and promoting fibrin clot formation. During the inflammatory phase, white blood cells and platelets release cellular products that start the healing process. Applying PRF to a wound site enhances healing due to the concentrated growth factors in PRF, which facilitate cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation.² Table 1 shows the applications in dentistry.^4-6

References

1. Dohan DM, Choukroun J, Diss A, et al. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF): a secondgeneration platelet concentrate. Part I: technological concepts and evolution. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2006;101:e37-e44.
2. Fan Y, Perez K, Dym H. Clinical uses of platelet-rich fibrin in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Dent Clin North Am. 2020;64:291-303.
3. Del Fabbro M, Karanxha L, Panda S, et al. Autologous platelet concentrates for treating periodontal infrabony defects. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;11:CD011423.
4. Shah R, Triveni MG, Thomas R, Mehta DS. An update on the protocols and biologic actions of platelet rich fibrin in dentistry. Eur J Prosthodont Restor Dent. 2017;25:64-72.
5. Jagtap A, Mangalekar SB, Kamble P. Clinical evaluation of coronally advanced flap with or without advance-platelet rich fibrin membrane in the treatment of miller’s class-ii localized gingival recession: a clinical study. Cureus. 2023;15:e34919.
6. Alhussaini AHA. Effect of platelet-rich fibrin and bone morphogenetic protein on dental implant stability. J Craniofac Surg. 2019;30:1492-1496.

This originally appeared in Luan KW, Narvekar A. Unlocking the regenerative power of platelet-rich fibrin. Decisions in Dentistry. 2025;11(2):40-45.