title: Stainless steel bands in endodontics: effects on cuspal flexure and fracture resistance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the effect of stainless steel bands on cuspal flexure and fracture resistance of extracted maxillary premolars.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty extracted maxillary premolars (10 matched pairs) with mesio-occluso-distal (MOD) cavities and endodontic access were subjected to occlusal loading tests (100 N) using a servo-hydraulic testing machine. Cuspal deflections were measured by an extensometer, with and without the band present. Ten teeth (one of each pair) then had the band removed, and all teeth were subjected to loading until fracture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean cuspal flexure of teeth with bands was one-half of flexure without bands (P < 0.001). Teeth with bands fractured at higher load than their matched pairs with the band removed (P < 0.001), with mean loads at fracture of 1282 N and 729 N, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed that stainless steel bands used in endodontics reduce the cuspal flexure of maxillary premolars and increase their fracture resistance.
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Science, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Pane
authors.forename: J E A
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Palamara
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Messer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000502:physiology*; D001732:Bite Force; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000502:physiology*; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008434:Matrix Bands; D018583:Pliability; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation; D013193:Stainless Steel; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014082:Tooth Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D013193:Stainless Steel