title: Potential for osseous regeneration of platelet rich plasma: a comparitive study in mandibular third molar sockets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of autologous platelet-rich plasma in soft tissue healing & bone regeneration in mandibular third molar extraction socket.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in 10 patients visiting the outpatient Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, requiring extraction of bilateral mandibular third molars. Following extraction, autologous Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) was placed in one extraction socket, the other socket was studied as the control site with no PRP. The patients were assessed for postoperative pain, soft tissue healing, bone blending and trabecular formation. Radiological assessment of the extraction site was done for a period of 4 months to evaluate the change in bone density.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain was less in the study site compared to control site, soft tissue healing was better in study site. Evaluation for bone blending and trabecular bone formation started earlier in PRP site compared to control, non PRP site. The evaluation of bone density by radiological assessment showed the grey level values calculated after 4 months at the PRP site were comparatively higher than the average baseline value of bone density at extraction site in control site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed that autologous PRP is biocompatible and has significantly improved soft tissue healing, bone regeneration and increase in bone density in extraction sockets. However a more elaborate study with a larger number of clinical cases is essential to be more conclusive regarding its efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Yenepoya Dental College and Hospital, Mangalore, India  ; No: 513, 12th A Main Road, Sector A Yelahanka Newtown, Bengaluru, 560 106 India.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Vivek
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Sripathi Rao
keywords: Bone density; Bone trabeculae; Mandibular third molar extract socket; Pain; Platelet rich plasma; Soft tissue healing