What recent evidence exists to support the use of platelet‐rich fibrin in clinical dentistry? A systematic literature review

Abstract

Background Platelet‐rich fibrin (PRF) is a second‐generation platelet concentrate and biomaterial with multiple applications in clinical dentistry. Recent developments in the production of PRF have resulted in several divergent protocols that could be seen to affect the reproducibility and generalisability of the available literature. Additionally, imprecise reporting on PRF production is a further confounding factor with respect to previous trial data. Aims The primary aim of this review was to assess the recent clinical trial data relating to the use of PRF, irrespective of centrifugal protocol, in clinical dentistry. Methods A systematic literature review was carried out in PubMed and the Cochrane Library databases to select English language, human clinical trials involving the use of PRF published between July 2018 and July 2021. Results The 50 included studies demonstrated an overall clinical benefit for the use of PRF in the fields of oral medicine, oral surgery and periodontology, with unclear benefits in the field of endodontology, and no clear benefit in the field of orthodontics. Only 16% of the included studies met published standards for reporting PRF production protocols, and meeting such standards should be an essential requirement for future publications. Conclusions There was little direct evidence to support one particular PRF protocol over another and this remains an area of controversy. Future research should focus on precise reporting of PRF protocols, and in areas where PRF is of known benefit, the use of different production methods should be compared to assess what, if any, clinical significance is attached to particular centrifugation protocols and tubes.