Randomized clinical trial comparing the effects of post placement on failure rate of postendodontic restorations: preliminary results of a mean period of 32 months.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to assess whether the placement of a fiber post (DT Light Post) (DT) and the amount of residual coronal dentin affect the time to failure of single-unit postendodontic restorations.


METHODS
Ninety patients providing 120 teeth were selected. Three groups (n = 40) were defined on the basis of the amount of residual coronal dentin: 2-walls group, 2 or more coronal walls; 1-wall group, 1 coronal wall; no-wall group, no wall exceeding 2 mm above the gingival level. Within each group teeth were randomized and allocated to 2 intervention groups (n = 20), including subgroups no post (no root canal retention) and subgroups post (placement of DT).


RESULTS
After a mean observation period of 32.4 (13.7) months in subgroups no post, the failure rates were 10%, whereas in subgroups post, failure rates of 7% were observed (P = .318). In no-wall group post placement significantly affected the time to failure of total restorations (P = .029, log-rank test). Teeth without post retention revealed a significantly higher failure rate (31%) compared with teeth restored with post retention (7%).


CONCLUSIONS
Within the observation time of the present study, fiber post placement was efficacious to reduce failures of postendodontic restorations only with teeth that exhibited no coronal walls. Post insertion for teeth showing a minor substance loss should be critically reconsidered.
Bitter
Kerstin
K
Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, University School of Dental Medicine, CharitéCentrum 3, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. kerstin.bitter@charite.de
Noetzel
Jörn
J
Stamm
Oliver
O
Vaudt
Juliane
J
Meyer-Lueckel
Hendrik
H
Neumann
Konrad
K
Kielbassa
Andrej M
AM
D000134:Acid Etching, Dental; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D003442:Crowns; D017268:Dental Prosthesis Retention / Q000295:instrumentation; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology*; D017220:Dentin-Bonding Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010756:Phosphoric Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D011176:Post and Core Technique / Q000295:instrumentation; D019279:Resin Cements / Q000737:chemistry; D012390:Root Canal Therapy; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D019246:Tooth Preparation / Q000379:methods; D019553:Tooth, Nonvital / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
C029849:Clearfil Bonding Agent; C469237:Clearfil Core; D003188:Composite Resins; D017220:Dentin-Bonding Agents; D010756:Phosphoric Acids; D019279:Resin Cements; C030242:phosphoric acid