Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2026 , Vol 29, Issue 3
EFFECTIVENESS OF LEUKOCYTE- AND PLATELET-RICH FIBRIN IN THE TREATMENT OF STAGE 2 AND STAGE 3 MEDICATION-RELATED OSTEONECROSIS OF THE JAW IN GERIATRIC PATIENTS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
Muharrem Ergün DUDAK1, Aylin ÇALIŞ2, İlkay AYDOĞDU3, Selin KENÇ4, Gözde IŞIK2
1Private Practice, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Izmir, Turkiye
2Ege University Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Izmir, Turkiye
3Private Practice, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Izmir, Turkiye
4Private Practice, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Denizli, Turkiye
DOI : 10.29400/tjgeri.2026.509 Introduction: Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw is a challenging complication associated with the use of anti-resorptive and anti-angiogenic medications, often impairing bone healing and quality of life. Recent regenerative approaches, such as leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin, have attracted interest because of their potential to improve treatment outcomes by supporting angiogenesis, soft tissue healing, and bone regeneration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin in promoting healing in patients with stage 2 and 3 osteonecrosis. Materials and Method: This retrospective clinical study included 21 patients (8 males, 13 females; mean age: 66.9 years) diagnosed with stage 2 or 3 osteonecrosis and treated at a single-center oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic. Patients were grouped on the basis of the application of platelet-rich fibrin during surgery. Clinical healing was assessed postoperatively and classified as primarily healed or primarily not healed. Results: In the platelet-rich fibrin group (n = 9), 88.9% of patients achieved primary healing, whereas 66.7% of patients in the non-platelet-rich fibrin group achieved primary healing (n = 12) (p = 0.338). Healing was achieved in 100% of stage 2 patients and 83.3% of stage 3 patients treated with platelet-rich fibrin. Drug type, usage duration, and etiology were not significantly associated with healing outcomes. Conclusion: Platelet-rich fibrin tended to improve postoperative healing in osteonecrosis patients, especially in stage 2 patients, but the difference was not statistically significant. These findings support the potential use of platelet-rich fibrin as an adjunctive treatment and highlight the need for further studies with larger sample sizes. Keywords : Platelet-Rich Fibrin; Bisphosphonate-Associated Osteonecrosis of the Jaw; Denosumab; Geriatrics