Comparison of fracture strength and pattern of endodontically treated teeth restored with fiber posts and metal cast post

Kim, Mee Kyung; Kim, Seok Gyu

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of two fiber post systems and one metal cast post system on the fracture strength and fracture pattern of crowned, endodontically treated teeth with 2 mm-height of the reamining tooth structure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 36 recently extracted sound human mandibular premolars were selected. Each tooth structure of the crown portion except 2mm-height of the one above the cementoenamel junction was removed. After being endodontically treated, they were randomly distributed into 3 groups: group 1, restored with quarts fiber post(D.T. Light-Post), group 2, with glass fiber post(FRC Postec), and group 3, metal cast post and core. All teeth were fully covered with nonprecious metal crowns. Each specimen was embedded in an acrylic resin block and then secured in a universal load-testing machine. A compressive load was applied at a 130 degree angle to the long axis of the tooth until fractured, at a crosshead speed 20mm/min. The highest fracture loads were measured and recorded as the fracture strength of each specimen. Fracture areas were measured on the mid-buccal and mid-lingual point from the crown margins. One-way analysis of variance and Turkey test were used to determine the statistic significance of the different fracture loads and areas among the groups(p<0.05). RESULTS: The mean fracture loads were 1391+/-425 N(group 1), 1458+/-476 N(group 2), and 1301+/-319 N(group 3). The fracture loads among the three groups had no statistically significant difference(p>.05). The mean fracture area of the fiber post was closer to the crown margin than that of the metal cast post and core(p<.05). The metal cast post showed unrestorable and catastrophic fracture patterns. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, fracture loads with any statistically significant difference were not recorded for endodontically treated teeth restored with two fiber posts and the metal cast post. But teeth restored with the fiber posts typically showed the fracture pattern close to the crown margin, which was almost restorable.