PRGF in Dentistry: Your Own Plasma for Healing, PRF Compared
PRGF (plasma rich in growth factors) is made from a small sample of your own blood, separated in a centrifuge and placed in a surgical site such as an extraction socket, a graft or an implant site. It is a platelet concentrate: a widely cited classification groups it with the pure platelet-rich plasmas, and it is prepared differently from PRF[1]. Reviews report less pain and better soft-tissue healing after extractions[2], but conflicting results for new bone[3]. At Ulubey Dental Clinic in Antalya we use the BTI Endoret PRGF system when the plan calls for it, at €300 per kit.
What PRGF is
Blood contains platelets, small cells that help a wound close and release proteins called growth factors. Platelet concentrates collect these platelets from a sample of the patient’s own blood so they can be placed where healing is needed. In dentistry they are used in extraction sockets, around bone grafts and implants, and in gum surgery[4][5].
PRGF stands for plasma rich in growth factors. It is one specific protocol, supplied as the Endoret system by BTI. Because it is made from your own blood, no donor material is involved. The name matters: PRGF is not the same as PRF, and the studies on one do not automatically apply to the other[1].
PRGF, PRP and PRF: the differences
A widely cited classification sorts platelet concentrates by two features: whether they contain white blood cells (leucocytes) and how much fibrin, the protein mesh of a blood clot, they form[1].
| Group | Examples named in the classification | Leucocytes | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure platelet-rich plasma (P-PRP) | Anitua’s PRGF, cell-separator PRP[1] | Few or none | Liquid that can be activated into a gel |
| Leucocyte- and platelet-rich plasma (L-PRP) | Several commercial PRP kits[1] | Yes | Liquid that can be activated into a gel |
| Pure platelet-rich fibrin (P-PRF) | Fibrinet[1] | Few or none | Fibrin clot or membrane |
| Leucocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) | Choukroun’s PRF[1] | Yes | Fibrin clot or membrane |
Each method produces a different product with different biology and uses, according to the authors of the classification. Ask which one is planned for you.
In practice, articles and clinic websites often write “PRF” for any of these. Our dentists use PRGF, so this page reports the PRGF studies separately from the PRF studies.
How PRGF is prepared and used
- Blood sample. A small amount of blood is taken from your arm on the day of surgery, much like a routine blood test. At our clinic Dr. Ali Cem Ulubey takes the sample himself.
- Centrifuge. The tubes are spun in a centrifuge in a closed kit, which separates the plasma layer that carries the platelets from the red blood cells.
- Preparation. The plasma fraction is collected; it can be used as a liquid or allowed to form a gel or a fibrin membrane.
- Application. It is placed in the surgical site, for example an extraction socket or a graft area, or mixed with the graft material, before the wound is closed.
What the evidence shows
The research on platelet concentrates is large but uneven: the studies differ in technique, timing and outcome measures, so most reviews could not pool the results in a meta-analysis[2][3][4].
| Use | Finding | Review and limits |
|---|---|---|
| PRGF after tooth extraction | Pain and complications such as dry socket (alveolar osteitis) consistently lower; better hard- and soft-tissue healing in almost all studies | 8 studies, 338 patients, 614 teeth; qualitative only; benefit not yet quantifiable[2] |
| PRGF with bone grafts and sinus lifts | Positive results for soft-tissue healing, pain and swelling; conflicting results for new bone formation | 8 studies; no meta-analysis possible[3] |
| PRF in implant therapy | Moderate evidence for benefit in ridge preservation and the early phase of osseointegration; unclear for pain and soft-tissue healing | 12 randomised trials; moderate or unclear risk of bias[4] |
| Platelet concentrates alone in ridge preservation | In most studies faster soft-tissue healing, less pain, less ridge shrinkage and more bone fill than natural healing | 33 studies (6 on PRGF, 28 on L-PRF); large heterogeneity[5] |
Reviews of PRF do not prove the same result for PRGF, and the reverse. Results describe groups of patients, not your individual outcome.
The honest summary: PRGF and related concentrates seem to help mainly with comfort and soft-tissue healing after surgery, and some studies show better bone fill in sockets. Whether they add new bone when combined with a graft is not settled[3][5].
What PRGF cannot do
- It does not replace a bone graft. If there is not enough bone for an implant, the bone has to be rebuilt; see dental bone graft.
- It does not replace aftercare. The aftercare instructions, the medicines your dentist prescribes and not smoking still matter; see tooth extraction aftercare and dental implant aftercare.
- It is not a guarantee of healing. Healing is biological and depends on factors such as smoking, uncontrolled diabetes and gum health.
- It is not needed for every surgery. Many extractions and implants heal well without it.
Tell us about any blood disorder and every medicine you take, including blood thinners, before surgery. Our page on oral health and medical conditions explains why the medical history matters.
PRGF at our clinic
Ulubey Dental Clinic has the BTI Endoret PRGF system. Dr. Ali Cem Ulubey and Dr. Surur Ulubey see every patient themselves, and PRGF is part of the plan only when the case calls for it, for example:
- extraction sockets, including socket preservation before a later implant;
- bone graft and sinus lift sites; see sinus lift in Antalya;
- implant sites, as described in our immediate loading protocol.
If PRGF is recommended for you, it appears as its own line in your written quote. You can say no; the treatment can go ahead without it. If you develop a painful socket after an extraction, read our dry socket guide.
PRGF cost in Antalya
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PRGF (BTI Endoret) | €300 per kit | Only when your plan needs it |
| Bone graft (particulate) | €150 per cc | Amount measured on your scan |
| Membrane | €150 | Where the plan needs one |
| Sinus lift, closed | €350 per implant site | Up to 1 cc of graft included |
Prices are indicative; your final written quote follows the examination and X-rays and is valid for 30 days. Unless the treatment plan changes, the written price does not change.
The full list is on our dental treatment prices page.
Frequently asked questions
What is PRGF in dentistry?
PRGF, plasma rich in growth factors, is a preparation made from a small sample of your own blood. The blood is spun in a centrifuge in a closed kit, and the plasma fraction that carries the platelets is placed in a surgical site such as an extraction socket, a bone graft or an implant site. No donor material is involved.
Is PRGF the same as PRF?
No. Both are platelet concentrates made from your own blood, but they are prepared differently. A widely used classification puts PRGF among the pure platelet-rich plasmas, with few white blood cells, and Choukroun’s PRF among the leucocyte- and platelet-rich fibrins. Studies on one do not automatically apply to the other.
Does PRGF help healing after an extraction?
A systematic review of 8 studies with 338 patients found that pain and complications such as dry socket were consistently lower with PRGF, and hard- and soft-tissue healing was better in almost all studies. The benefit could not yet be quantified, and the studies were too different to pool.
Does PRGF make a bone graft work better?
The evidence is mixed. A review of 8 studies of PRGF in ridge preservation, ridge augmentation and sinus lifts found benefits for soft-tissue healing, pain and swelling, but conflicting results for new bone formation. PRGF does not replace the graft itself.
How much does PRGF cost in Antalya?
At Ulubey Dental Clinic, PRGF with the BTI Endoret system costs €300 per kit, and it is added only when your treatment plan needs it. It appears as its own line in the written quote, which follows the examination and X-rays and is valid for 30 days.
Is PRGF necessary for my implant?
Usually not. Many implants and extractions heal well without it. We suggest it when a case calls for it, for example a socket that will later receive an implant or a graft site, and you can decline it. Healing still depends on aftercare, smoking and general health.
Sources
- Dohan Ehrenfest DM, Rasmusson L, Albrektsson T. Classification of platelet concentrates: from pure platelet-rich plasma (P-PRP) to leucocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF). Trends Biotechnol. 2009;27(3):158-167. PMID 19187989. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19187989
- Del Fabbro M, Panda S, Taschieri S. Adjunctive use of plasma rich in growth factors for improving alveolar socket healing: a systematic review. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2019;19(2):166-176. PMID 31326048. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31326048
- Dragonas P, Schiavo JH, Avila-Ortiz G, Palaiologou A, Katsaros T. Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) in intraoral bone grafting procedures: a systematic review. J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2019;47(3):443-453. PMID 30711470. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30711470
- Strauss FJ, Stähli A, Gruber R. The use of platelet-rich fibrin to enhance the outcomes of implant therapy: a systematic review. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2018;29 Suppl 18:6-19. PMID 30306698. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30306698
- Siawasch SAM, Yu J, Castro AB, et al. Autologous platelet concentrates in alveolar ridge preservation: a systematic review with meta-analyses. Periodontol 2000. 2025;97(1):104-130. PMID 39345008. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39345008
This article is general patient information and does not replace a clinical examination or X-rays.
Editor contact: [email protected] · ulubeydental.com/contact-us
