A new look at chairside fiber reinforcement of resin composite

This in vitro study evaluated the effect on resin composite bend strength of two types of fiber, one marketed for use with composite and the other a plain nylon mesh. Three specimen groups were tested: composite alone, composite plus Ribbond fiber, and composite plus nylon mesh. There was no significant difference in bend strength between the composite alone and the composite with Ribbond fiber but the bend strength for the composite with nylon mesh was significantly lower than the other two groups (p < 0.05). The fibers of all specimens remained intact after composite fracture.