Published in:
01-01-2014 | Original Article
Does an intracanal composite anchorage replace posts?
Published in: Clinical Oral Investigations | Issue 1/2014
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Objectives
This study aims to assess the effectiveness of an intracanal composite anchorage to replace conventionally cemented titanium or bonded glass fibre posts.
Materials and methods
Post space preparation was performed up to depths of 6 mm (groups 1 and 2) and 3 mm (group 3) in root filled mandibular premolars. In group 1, titanium posts were cemented with zinc phosphate cement. Glass fibre posts were adhesively cemented in group 2 using a dual-cure composite resin. In group 3, intracanal anchorage was solely performed with a dual-cure composite. All teeth were restored with standardised direct composite crowns without a ferrule. After thermo-mechanical loading, static load was applied until failure. Fracture patterns were assessed, and a microscopic analysis was performed to analyse the occurrence of additional cracks.
Results
Group 2 revealed a significantly higher median fracture value (408 N) than groups 1 and 3, while no difference was detected between group 1 (290 N) and group 3 (234 N) (p = .1417). In group 3, the more favourable fracture patterns were observed. However, the majority of teeth within this fracture category revealed additional minor cracks of the root.
Conclusions
Within the limitations of this study, adhesive intracanal anchorage to a depth of 3 mm with resin composite only has the same fracture resistance as titanium posts conventionally cemented to a depth of 6 mm. Even teeth with repairable main fractures exhibited additional dentinal cracks on the root.
Clinical relevance
Additional dentinal root cracks in the teeth with repairable main fractures may considerably impair their longevity.