Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Sep 29;14(19):6917.
doi: 10.3390/jcm14196917.

Effect of Leukocyte- and Platelet-Rich Fibrin on Peri-Implant Mucosal Thickness in Edentulous Patients Treated with Mandibular Implant-Retained Overdentures: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Ximena Moreno  1   2 , Patricio Neira  1   2 , Franz J Strauss  3   4 , María Ignacia Mery  2 , Reinhard Gruber  5 , Franco Cavalla  2   6
Affiliations

Effect of Leukocyte- and Platelet-Rich Fibrin on Peri-Implant Mucosal Thickness in Edentulous Patients Treated with Mandibular Implant-Retained Overdentures: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Ximena Moreno et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The maintenance of peri-implant soft tissue health is critical for the long-term success of implant therapy, particularly in edentulous patients rehabilitated with mandibular overdentures. Leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) has been proposed as an autologous biomaterial to enhance peri-implant tissue quality. This randomized controlled clinical trial evaluated the effect of L-PRF on peri-implant mucosal thickness in edentulous patients treated with mandibular implant-retained overdentures. Methods: Edentulous patients received two interforaminal implants to retain a mandibular overdenture and were randomly assigned to a test group (L-PRF applied during surgery) or a control group (standard protocol without L-PRF). Clinical measurements of keratinized mucosal thickness and width were recorded at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Volumetric analyses of soft and hard tissue changes were performed using digital superimposition of STL models. The trial was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Scientific Ethics Committee of the Aconcagua Health Service. All participants provided written informed consent. Results: A significant increase in keratinized mucosal thickness was observed in the L-PRF group at 12 and 24 weeks compared with baseline (p < 0.01). No significant differences were detected between the groups in soft tissue volume (p = 0.12) or bone volume (p = 0.45). Mucosal width remained stable in both groups throughout follow-up. Conclusions: The application of L-PRF at implant placement resulted in a significant gain in peri-implant mucosal thickness, suggesting a soft tissue modulating effect. Enhancing keratinized mucosal thickness during implant surgery may improve peri-implant tissue quality and support long-term stability of mandibular overdentures.

Keywords: dental implants; edentulous; guided tissue regeneration; jaw; platelet-rich fibrin.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CONSORT flow diagram.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Implant stability at baseline (T0), 8 weeks (T1), 12 weeks (T2), and 24 weeks (T3). * = p < 0.05. ISQ: Implant Stability Quotient; L-PRF: leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mucosal thickness (MT) at baseline (T0), 8 weeks (T1), 12 weeks (T2), and 24 weeks (T3). * = p < 0.05. L-PRF: leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Enlow D.H., Bianco H.J., Eklund S. The remodeling of the edentulous mandible. J. Prosthet. Dent. 1976;36:685–693. doi: 10.1016/0022-3913(76)90035-4. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Berkovitz B.K., Heap P.F. The effect of fluoride on iron, calcium and phosphorus distribution in the rat incisor. Caries Res. 1976;10:337–351. doi: 10.1159/000260215. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Cawood J.I., Howell R.A. A classification of the edentulous jaws. Int. J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 1988;17:232–236. doi: 10.1016/S0901-5027(88)80047-X. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Sanchez-Siles M., Ballester-Ferrandis J.F., Salazar-Sanchez N., Gomez-Garcia F.J., Moraleja-Ruiz R., Camacho-Alonso F. Long-term evaluation of quality of life and satisfaction between implant bar overdentures and conventional complete dentures: A 23 years retrospective study. Clin. Implant Dent. Relat. Res. 2018;20:208–214. doi: 10.1111/cid.12576. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Zhang L., Lyu C., Shang Z., Niu A., Liang X. Quality of Life of Implant-Supported Overdenture and Conventional Complete Denture in Restoring the Edentulous Mandible: A Systematic Review. Implant Dent. 2017;26:945–950. doi: 10.1097/ID.0000000000000668. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources