[In vitro fracture behaviour of composite crowns with and without posts]

The failure load and failure mode of severely damaged endodontically treated maxillary premolars were examined within a laboratory study. The premolars were divided into 4 groups. The first of which was restored with prefab metal posts, the second with prefab fibre posts and the third with custom-made fibre posts; all 3 receiving direct resin crowns. In a 4th (control) group no post-space preparation was performed and no posts were placed; a direct resin composite complete crown was made. After thermocycling, all specimens were statically loaded in a universal test machine until failure, under an angle of 30 degrees. There was no significant difference between the mean failure loads. Failure was merely due to unfavourable, non-repairable fractures (ending below the simulation of bone level). This study suggests that posts are not necessarily required to increase the failure load of direct resin composite crowns, however, clinical studies are necessary to confirm these findings.