A Mini-review on the Impact of PlateletRich Fibrin on the Thickness and Width of keratinized Mucosa

Objectives The present mini-review compares the effect of different forms of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) utilized for soft tissue management on width and depth of keratinized mucosa. Materials and methods The Pubmed database was screened in January 2022 to find randomized controlled clinical trials examining the effect on soft tissue thickness and width by plateled-rich fibrin (PRF). In the preliminary search the following keywords were used in combination with the keyword „PRF“: “AND mucosa”, “AND keratinized mucosa”, “AND socket preservation”, “ AND recession”,and “implants”. Results During the literature search on Pubmed, 39 papers were found. After the initial evaluation 17 full texts were read and analyzed, eight articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected for comparison and literature review. All of the studies showed that platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) resulted in a significant increase in keratinized tissue width (KTW) and gingival thickness (GT). Conclusion Platelet-rich fibrin offers a valuable tool for soft tissue optimization, for example, prior to implantation or for periodontal surgery. Especially in patients with anatomical limitations, they may offer an alternative to connective tissue grafts (CTG). However, the heterogeneity of study protocols is high, making direct correlations and especially millimeter comparisons difficult. The interested practitioner should therefore carefully check which PRF type was used. One should be aware that the different PRF types each represent a different blood product.