Platelet Concentrates – A Panacea for Periodontal Regeneration

Periodontitis is an inflammatory condition of the periodontium leading to loss of supporting structures of the tooth. The regeneration of periodontium refers to the restoration of the lost tissues to their original form and function by reiterating the fundamental wound healing processes involved in their development. Research has led to the development of “Autologous biomaterials” provide signals for healing, repair, and regeneration. These autologous substances also fosters neo-angiogenesis and new bone formation and therefore have yielded encouraging results in the field of regenerative dentistry. Platelet concentrates have higher concentration of growth factors which enhance periodontal regeneration. Blood derivatives have several advantages such as being autogenous, cost effective, less time consuming, simple to perform and prolonged release of growth factors. Since inception, many approaches have evolved also in-depth research has been done regarding its biological and clinical applications. Several modifications have been advocated in the conventional protocol like the advanced PRF, injectable PRF, PRF lysate and Titanium-prepared PRF. This review paper addresses the evolution, applications of platelet concentrates for tissue engineering, recent advances, and novel protocols. Furthermore, several future perspectives of platelet concentrates, such as platelet concentrates as drug delivery agents, platelet dust and liposomes encapsulating platelet concentrates are also discussed.