The effect of platelet-rich plasma on temporomandibular joint cartilage wound healing

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of the bone, cartilage, and supporting tissues of the TMJ and is the results from mechanical and biological events that destabilize the normal coupling of the degradation and synthesis of the articular cartilage and subchondral bone. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a concentrate of platelets and associated growth factors obtained through centrifugation of sample of the patient's blood. Platelet-rich plasma's clinical use has surged due to its potential healing properties through the recruitment, proliferation and differentiation of cells and tissue remodeling. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of PRP injection on TMJ cartilage and subchondral bone healing. In our study, 16 New Zealand white rabbits divided randomly in two groups as single PRP injection and multiple PRP injection groups. Sodium mono iodoacetat (MIA) injected in bilateral TMJ of all animals intraarticullary to create a model of OA in joint which was mentioned in the literature. Four week after MIA injection, autologous blood was taken from rabbits to obtain PRP. Platelet-rich plasma was injected to right TMJ in the single injection group for once and in the multiple injection group for three times (1 per week). Solution of NaCl was injected all of the animals' left TMJs at every PRP injection time as a control group. At the end of 30th day after first PRP injection, the animals were sacrificed. At the end of the study the effect of PRP on TMJ bony surfaces and joint cartilages were examined histopathologically. After histological examination no statistically significant difference was found between groups in the regeneration of cartilage and subchondral bone. On the other hand the healing of cartilage and subchondral bone was greater in the multiple platelet-rich plasma injection group. Our results suggest that PRP injection to treat TMJ osteoarthritis may be used alone or combined therapy with the other treatment modalities.