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Do oval posts improve fracture resistance of teeth with oval root canals?
Gabriel Krastl1, Heiner Lorch, Nicola U Zitzmann
1Department of Periodontology, Endodontology and Cariology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Biomaterials Unit, School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Aim:
To determine whether the use of oval posts increases fracture resistance of root canal treated teeth with oval-shaped canals.
Methods:
Extracted mandibular premolars with similar dimensions were decoronated. After root canal treatment, standardized post space preparations were performed to simulate the presence of oval-shaped root canal morphologies. Specimens were randomly assigned to 3 groups (n = 3 × 24). In group SFP (small fiber post), circular posts with a cervical diameter of 1.5 mm were used without additional form-congruent post space preparation. In group LFP (large fiber post), a circular post space preparation was performed to adapt posts with a cervical diameter of 1.9 mm. In group OFP (oval fiber post), oval posts with a long cervical diameter of 1.9 mm and short cervical diameter of 1.3 mm were utilized without additional post space preparation. Posts were cemented with dual-cure resin. All specimens were restored with standardized direct composite crowns. After thermo-mechanical loading in a computer-controlled masticator, all specimens underwent fracture resistance testing. Means and standard deviations were calculated. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test (α = 0.05).
Results:
The highest mean fracture load was observed in group OFP (273N ± 51), the lowest in group LFP (258N ± 72). Kruskal-Wallis indicated no significant differences in fracture resistance among the three experimental groups.
Conclusions:
Within the limitations of this laboratory study, oval posts did not reveal increased fracture resistance of root canal-treated premolars with oval-shaped root canals compared with circular posts.
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