Healing Potential of Platelet Rich Fibrin in Impacted Mandibular Third Molar Extraction Sockets

BACKGROUND: Healing of both hard and soft tissues have become one of the great challenges, faced in clinical research in development of bioactive surgical additives responsible for regulating inflammation and increasing healing. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) represents a new step in the platelet gel therapeutic concept with simplified processing minus artificial biochemical modification. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of PRF on soft-tissue healing and bone tissue healing in terms of postoperative pain, postoperative swelling, soft tissue healing, and the quality of bone healing at the mandibular third molar socket. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A clinical study will be done on patients reporting to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Government Dental College, Srinagar, requiring disimpaction of bilateral mesioangular impacted mandibular third molars in 60 patients. RESULTS: The present prospective clinical study evaluates the effect of PRF in healing of mandibular third molar extraction sockets. There was no difference in the age gender and type of impaction between the two groups as the mean postoperative pain score (visual analog scale) was lower for the PRF group (Group A) at all points of time when compared with the control (Group B), and this was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The mean percentage swelling was lower for the PRF group (Group A) at all points of time when compared with the control (Group B). Evaluating the effect of treatments (with or without PRF) on lamina dura score shows that in both the groups at different time periods, significant (P < 0.001) difference was observed on lamina dura score. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest that application of autologous PRF gel has a beneficial effect on the healing of extraction sockets after third molar surgery.