One of the biggest drawbacks to needing dental surgery is the amount of recovery time that is involved. Depending upon the type of dental surgery you are having done, it could take anywhere from three to five days to recover and in some cases it could take months. Unfortunately, not every person has the ability to take this much time out of their day-to-day lives to recover which is why many dentists, including this Jacksonville, Florida dentist, are staring to use platelet rich plasma when performing oral surgery.

What is Platelet Rich Plasma?

When you undergo dental surgery the reason the recovery time is so long is because the body needs time to heal. It takes considerable time for the body to naturally create new tissue and heal the surgical site. The amount of time it takes for the body to regenerate new tissue used for the healing process will vary depending upon how extensive the oral surgery was, your age, and your previous health history. Platelet rich plasma is a relatively new procedure that helps speed up the healing process that occurs after oral and dental surgery.

How is Platelet Rich Plasma Used During Oral or Dental Surgery?

Dentists obtain platelet rich plasma by taking a sample of your blood either before or during your procedure. The amount of blood that is needed is very small. In most cases, your Jacksonville, Florida dentist will only need about 2 oz. of blood. Patients don’t even have to leave the dentist’s office to have their blood drawn, as it is typically done in-office on the day of the procedure.

Once a blood sample has been obtained, your dentist will begin the process of separating the blood until all that is left is the platelets. The first step of the process involves taking the blood sample and placing it into a centrifuge. The centrifuge will spin the blood sample. This creates two separate samples – one of blood and one of plasma. The second step of the process involves running the plasma through the centrifuge. This second run through the centrifuge will create a sample that is rich in platelets. This platelet rich plasma is what will be used during your oral or dental surgery.

After your dentist creates your platelet rich plasma, the oral or dental surgery will begin. Your dentist will conduct the entire surgical procedure like normal up until it comes time to stitch up the surgical site. The surgical site will be stitched, or sutured, up like normal, but before the procedure is completed, your dentist will apply a high concentrated amount of platelet rich plasma to the surgical site then your body is left to heal itself.

What Types of Oral and Dental Surgery Uses Platelet Rich Plasma?

Platelet rich plasma can be used during almost any oral or dental surgery. The most common types of oral and dental surgery that uses platelet rich plasma include:

• Placing dental implants
• Tooth extraction
• Periodontal surgery
• Jaw surgery
• Sinus surgery

Platelet rich plasma is usually recommended for patients who are elderly, those who have extensive health problems, or those who are having a procedure that has a long recovery time.

Almost any patient who is undergoing oral or dental surgery could use platelet rich plasma with a few exceptions. Patients with some types of blood or clotting disorders will be unable to use the platelet rich plasma technique during their procedure.

Benefits of Using Platelet Rich Plasma During Oral and Dental Surgery

Platelet rich plasma is a safe technique that provides patients with numerous benefits. Some of the benefits patients receive from using platelet rich plasma include:

• Faster healing time post-procedure – patients can heal up to six times faster when platelet rich plasma has been used
• Reduced risk of infections – healing faster dramatically reduces the patient’s chance of developing an infection
• Completely safe – there is no risk of cross-contamination as the blood used is from the patient
• Cost effective – there is no blood harvesting or use of a blood bank which can increase costs
• Reduces the amount of bleeding the occurs post-operation

Learn more about platelet rich plasma and how it can help you during oral or dental surgery by scheduling an appointment at Smiles by Shields located in Jacksonville, Florida. Smiles by Shields takes a holistic approach to dentistry and regularly uses platelet rich plasma during dental or oral surgery. Call us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tiffany K. Shields.