Survival time and success rates of customized prefabricated metal posts: A retrospective study

The choice of post type is still a controversial issue in dental practice. Furthermore, studies regarding the long-term survival and success of customized prefabricated posts are lacking.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the longevity of prefabricated metal posts customized to conform to the root canal.

Data obtained from the records of patients who received a customized titanium or stainless-steel post at a private dental practice between July 1998 and March 2022 were analyzed. The prefabricated posts were customized by grinding the threads, reducing their length, and tapering them to fit into the existing canals. The relation between survival time and type of tooth and coronal restoration was searched. The Kaplan-Meier test was used for survival time and Cox regression to evaluate factors associated with survival (α=.05). The data were also analyzed for 5-year time intervals.

A total of 1791 posts in 1072 patients were available for the study. The mean overall survival time of the posts was 17.33 years. The mean survival time with regard to the coronal restoration was 15.22 years for direct composite resin restorations, 17.21 years for metal-ceramic crowns, 14.94 years for fixed partial dentures, and 12.63 years for removable partial dentures. The survival time for anterior teeth was 13.16 years and 17.53 years for posterior teeth. The success rate of the posts was 97.5%.

This retrospective study of customized prefabricated metal posts resulted in a 17-year post survival time and a success rate of 97.5%.