Comparative Evaluation of the Reinforcing Effect of Different Post Systems in the Restoration of Endodontically Treated Human Anterior Teeth at Two Different Lengths of Post Space Preparation- An in Vitro Study

OBJECTIVES Comparative evaluation of the reinforcing effect of different post systems in the restoration of endodontically treated human anterior teeth at two different lengths of post space preparation- an in vitro study. MATERIALS AND METHODS 135 extracted human incisors were endodontically treated, out of which 120 teeth were decoronated 2mm above the cementoenamel junction and divided into four experimental groups based on the post system to be used: Glass fiber post (GFP) and stainless steel post (SSP), titanium post (TTP), cast metal post (CMP). Each group was divided into two sub-groups according to the length of post space preparation: 5mm and 10mm. All the samples were restored with metal crowns. The fracture resistance was measured by applying loads at an angle of 135º to the long axis of teeth in an instron universal testing machine. Fracture mode was analyzed for all the samples. Results from the four test groups were compared and analysed using one-way ANOVA test and the Post-hoc Bonferroni test to demonstrate differences between pairs of groups. RESULTS The results revealed that SSP group at 10mm post space length showed the significantly ("P-value< 0.05") highest fracture resistance (793.7787 N). Decrease in post length resulted in the decrease in fracture resistance in all the groups reduced to values even lesser than the control (437.8733N). CONCLUSION The different post systems used in the study were able to reinforce endodontically treated teeth only at 10mm post space length.