PRF: Platelet-Rich FibrinL-PRF, i-PRF & sticky bone

PRF is made from a small sample of your own blood, spun at the chair, and placed back into the surgical site. It is used to support healing in gum and bone surgery, with nothing added and nothing from a donor.

What PRF Is

Platelet-rich fibrin is a concentrate of your own platelets and white blood cells held in a natural fibrin mesh. A few tubes of blood are drawn at the start of the appointment and spun in a centrifuge. Unlike the older platelet-rich plasma (PRP), no anticoagulant or other additive is used, so the blood clots naturally into a gel that can be shaped and placed in the surgical site, where it releases growth factors gradually over the following days.

Dr. Samadian makes PRF at the chair for gum and bone surgery, including bone grafting, Socket preservation, sinus lifts, gum grafting and implant placement.

L-PRF, i-PRF and Sticky Bone

Different spin settings produce different forms, each with its own use:

L-PRF (leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin): firm clots pressed into membranes or plugs, used to cover grafts, fill extraction sockets and line the gum during grafting
i-PRF (injectable PRF): a liquid form spun more gently, which stays fluid for a short time and can be mixed with graft particles or injected into tissue
Sticky bone: graft particles mixed with i-PRF so they bind into a single moldable mass that holds its shape in a bone defect and is less likely to shift during healing

What the Evidence Supports

Research supports PRF for improving soft-tissue healing and comfort after surgery, and as a useful membrane and binder in grafting. Its ability to grow bone on its own is less certain, which is why Dr. Samadian uses it alongside proven graft materials, not in place of them. PRF is one part of a regenerative plan, not a treatment by itself.

Safety

Because PRF comes from your own blood, there is no risk of rejection or of disease transmission from a donor. The blood draw is a routine venous sample. The main limits are practical: PRF has to be prepared at the time of surgery and used within minutes, and some medical conditions and medications affecting blood clotting change how it forms. Tell the team about every medication you take.

Is PRF the Same as Stem Cell Therapy?

No. PRF is a platelet concentrate, not a stem-cell product. It is one of several tools Dr. Samadian uses to regenerate gum and bone, described on the Gum & bone regeneration page, alongside graft materials, membranes, growth factors and laser therapy.

Related Treatments

PRF FAQ

What is PRF in dentistry?

PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) is a healing concentrate made from your own blood at the time of surgery. It is shaped into membranes or plugs, or used as a liquid, and placed in gum and bone grafting sites to support healing.

What is the difference between PRF and PRP?

Both are made from your own blood. PRP uses an anticoagulant and has historically needed an activator, and it is a liquid. PRF uses no additives, clots naturally into a fibrin gel that holds its shape, and releases growth factors more gradually.

What is the difference between L-PRF and i-PRF?

L-PRF is spun into firm clots that are pressed into membranes or plugs. i-PRF is spun more gently and stays liquid briefly, so it can be injected or mixed with graft particles to make sticky bone.

Does the blood draw hurt?

It is the same as a routine blood test: a few small tubes from a vein in the arm, taken at the start of the appointment.

Does PRF regrow bone?

PRF supports healing, and is useful as a membrane and as a binder for graft particles, but on its own it is not a reliable way to grow new bone. That is why it is used together with bone graft materials.

Is PRF covered by insurance?

PRF is often not covered separately. The team will tell you before treatment whether it is part of your estimate and what your plan pays toward the procedure it supports.

Treating patients throughout San Francisco. Dr. Samadian specializes in treatments such as smile makeovers, porcelain veneers, digital reconstructions, aesthetic dentistry, and dental implants. Focusing on regeneration and restoring tooth structure, bone loss, and gum recession utilizing the latest LANAP laser technology.