A systematic review of the use of platelet-rich fibrin in the healing in adults in oral surgical procedures

Aims: To evaluate the effect of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) in the healing in adults in oral surgical procedures by comparing the use of PRF to traditional treatments. Objectives: To search the literature for randomised controlled trials involving the use of platelet-rich fibrin in adults in oral surgical procedures. To perform a screening process of the literature and to analyse the included studies. Methods: An electronic search was conducted on PubMed MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials database to identify randomised controlled trials published between March 2012 and March 2017. The keywords used during the search were “platelet rich fibrin”. A manual search was performed in bibliographies of included articles, and in relevant journals. Results: The electronic search yielded 1369 articles, nine articles matched the inclusion criteria. The articles included 197 patients and 394 treatment sites, involving four oral surgical procedure types. Four articles evaluated healing after bilateral contralateral impacted third molar extractions, two studies evaluated alveolar ridge preservation and socket preservation after bilateral contralateral tooth extractions, two studies evaluated bilateral Miller Class I or Class II gingival recession defect treatment, and one study evaluated bilateral gingival recession treatment. Five of the nine studies presented statistically significant results, favouring PRF. Conclusion: The use of PRF in oral surgical procedures may be an effective method in healing in adults in oral surgical procedures, such as after impacted third molar extractions, simple tooth extractions, Miller Class I or Class II gingival recession defect treatment, and in gingival recession treatment