Is treatment with platelet-rich fibrin better than zinc oxide eugenol in cases of established dry socket for controlling pain, reducing inflammation, and improving wound healing?

Is treatment with platelet-rich fibrin better than zinc oxide eugenol in cases of established dry socket for controlling pain, reducing inflammation, and improving wound healing?

Objectives: To appraise the effectiveness of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) in the management of established dry socket in terms of pain, inflammation, and wound healing. Materials and Methods: Two hundred patients with established alveolar osteitis were studied to determine the efficacy of PRF and zinc oxide eu- genol (ZOE) for pain control, inflammation reduction, and wound healing. Patients were randomly allocated to Group A (PRF) or Group B (ZOE). Patients were examined on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 14th postoperative day and evaluated for pain using visual analogue scale scores, inflammation with a gingival index score, and wound healing through a determination of the number of bony walls exposed. Results: Group A showed better results in terms of pain remission, control of inflammation, and wound healing compared to Group B. Results between groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: PRF is a better alternative than ZOE for the effective management of alveolar osteitis.