Heal Naturally. Relieve Pain. Restore Function.
At Desert Hills Dental Care, we integrate Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) therapy into TMJ and facial pain treatment for faster, natural healing. Using your own blood, we can deliver concentrated growth factors directly into damaged or inflamed tissues that are contributing to your unique symptoms—stimulating repair and regeneration without the need for synthetic materials.
What is PRF?
PRF stands for Platelet-Rich Fibrin and is a form of regenerative therapy that has been used in medicine for many years, commonly in knee and hip therapies as well as general dentistry. It involves using a patient’s own blood to create a hyper-concentrated solution of growth factors, cytokines, and other healing proteins. This solution is then injected into damaged or inflamed tissues or joint spaces to promote natural healing and regeneration.
How PRF Works
- Simple Blood Draw – The process begins with a quick and straightforward blood draw, typically from the arm, similar to a standard blood test, to collect a small sample of your own blood. In most cases 1-2 small vials are all that is needed. This sample is then placed into a specialized centrifuge device. The centrifuge rapidly spins the blood, separating its various components based on their density. This careful separation isolates the platelet-rich plasma and fibrin from other blood cells.
- Concentrated Growth Factors – Once we have the isolated PRF layer, we can exploit the high concentration of platelets. These platelets play a crucial role as they naturally release an abundance of potent healing proteins and growth factors. These powerful biological signals work synergistically to actively stimulate and support the regeneration of both soft tissues (like ligaments and tendons) and bone, which are often affected in TMJ conditions.
- Targeted Injections – Once prepared, the concentrated PRF is then very precisely and gently administered. Dr. Schumacher carefully injects the PRF directly into the affected temporomandibular joint or the surrounding muscles that contribute to facial pain and dysfunction. This focused method sends the healing benefits right to the area that is swollen and damaged, helping to lessen pain, support the body’s natural healing, and improve the patient’s comfort and recovery.
- After the injections are finished, the patient is able to leave the office without downtime. Since no anesthetic, painkillers, or medications of any kind are typically involved in these injections, there is zero downtime for the patient, making PRF an incredibly powerful yet simple procedure. Most patients notice slight pressure during the injections, but very few describe them as being uncomfortable, and even fewer as being painful.
Benefits of PRF for TMJ
- Reduces inflammation and joint pain naturally: PRF works by harnessing your body’s own healing factors, offering a natural approach to significantly decrease the inflammation that often contributes to TMJ pain and discomfort. This can lead to a noticeable reduction in chronic joint pain, allowing for greater comfort in daily activities.
- Improves range of motion and function: By promoting healing within the joint structures and surrounding tissues, PRF therapy helps to restore the natural mechanics of the jaw. This often translates to an improved ability to open and close the mouth more freely, chew without difficulty, and speak with less restriction, thereby enhancing overall jaw function.
- Accelerates recovery from joint damage or micro-tears: The concentrated growth factors in PRF actively stimulate tissue repair, helping to mend damaged cartilage, ligaments, and tendons within and around the temporomandibular joint. This accelerated healing process can significantly shorten recovery times, especially in cases involving active arthritic breakdown.
- Complements splint therapy: PRF injections can work synergistically with other common TMJ treatments, such as custom splints or oral appliances designed to reposition the jaw and provide support to the joint space, similar to crutches for an injured knee. By addressing the underlying tissue healing, PRF can enhance the effectiveness of these therapies, leading to more comprehensive and lasting relief.
Why Choose Regenerative TMJ Therapy
Regenerative TMJ therapy, particularly with PRF, offers a distinct advantage over more traditional approaches like steroid injections. Unlike steroids, which can often provide temporary relief by suppressing inflammation but may also hinder the body’s natural healing processes and carry risks with repeated use, such as expediting any arthritic activity, possibly ending in total joint replacement surgery.
PRF works synergistically with your body’s innate capabilities. It leverages your own concentrated growth factors and healing cells to actively promote tissue regeneration and repair within the temporomandibular joint, supporting a more natural and sustainable pathway to recovery rather than just masking symptoms.
To ensure the highest efficacy and patient safety, Dr. Schumacher employs advanced, meticulously refined protocols. These cutting-edge techniques guarantee precise placement of the PRF directly into the target areas of the TMJ, maximizing the biological benefit by delivering the optimal concentration of healing factors where they are needed most for stimulating often profound regeneration and lasting relief.
Next Step:
Taking the first step towards understanding your options for lasting relief is simple. We encourage you to schedule a comprehensive consultation with Dr. Schumacher. During this personalized session, your specific condition and symptoms will be thoroughly evaluated to determine if regenerative TMJ therapy is the most appropriate and effective treatment solution tailored to your unique needs.