title: Clinical evaluation of root filled teeth restored with or without post-and-core systems in a specialist practice setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess survival rates and complications of root-filled teeth restored with or without post-and-core systems over a mean observation period of >or=4 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 325 single- and multirooted teeth in 183 subjects treated in a private practice were root filled and restored with either a cast post-and-core or with a prefabricated titanium post and composite core. Root-filled teeth without post-retained restorations served as controls. The restored teeth served as abutments for single unit metal-ceramic or composite crowns or fixed bridges. Teeth supporting cantilever bridges, overdentures or telescopic crowns were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen teeth in 17 subjects were lost to follow-up (17/325: 5.2%). The mean observation period was 5.2 +/- 1.8 (SD) years for restorations with titanium posts, 6.2 +/- 2.0 (SD) years for cast post-and-cores and 4.4 +/- 1.7 (SD) years for teeth without posts. Overall, 54% of build-ups included the incorporation of a titanium post and 26.5% the cementation of a cast post-and-core. The remaining 19.5% of the teeth were restored without intraradicular retention. The adjusted 5-year tooth survival rate amounted to 92.5% for teeth restored with titanium posts, to 97.1% for teeth restored with cast post-and-cores and to 94.3% for teeth without post restorations, respectively. The most frequent complications included root fracture (6.2%), recurrent caries (1.9%), post-treatment periradicular disease (1.6%) and loss of retention (1.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Provided that high-quality root canal treatment and restorative protocols are implemented, high survival and low complication rates of single- and multirooted root-filled teeth used as abutments for fixed restorations can be expected after a mean observation period of >or=4 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Fixed Prosthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland. giovanni.salvi@zmk.unibe.ch
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Salvi
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Siegrist Guldener
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Amstad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joss
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D003188:Composite Resins; D003442:Crowns; D000044:Dental Abutments; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003735:Dental Casting Technique; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003830:Denture, Partial, Fixed; D004708:Endodontics; D006047:Gold Alloys; D006801:Humans; D011176:Post and Core Technique; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012390:Root Canal Therapy; D014025:Titanium; D019553:Tooth, Nonvital / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D003188:Composite Resins; D003722:Dental Alloys; D006047:Gold Alloys; D014025:Titanium