title: Long-term Clinical Outcomes of Endodontically Treated Teeth Restored with or without Fiber Post-retained Single-unit Restorations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate both survival and failure rates of endodontically treated teeth restored with or without fiber post-retained restorations after a mean observation period of at least 5 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 144 single-rooted and multirooted teeth in 100 subjects were endodontically treated following a predetermined aseptic protocol and restored with either a fiber post and a composite core or a composite filling without intraradicular retention. A fiber post was cemented when the teeth presented with only 1 wall and/or less than one third of the remaining height of the clinical crown. After a comprehensive treatment plan, the teeth were restored with either a direct composite restoration or a single-unit crown. Endodontically treated teeth supporting fixed and removable dental prostheses and telescopic crowns were excluded from the analysis. Success was defined as tooth survival without any treatment of biological and/or technical complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall tooth survival rate was 89.6% after a mean observation time of 8.8 ± 2.3 years. The survival rate of teeth with a fiber post amounted to 94.3%, and for teeth without a post, it was 76.3% (P < .001). The main reason for tooth loss was root fracture (9.7%). No loss of post retention was observed. Successfully treated teeth without any biological and/or technical complications and requiring no additional treatment during the entire observation period amounted to 79.9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endodontically treated teeth restored with fiber posts and either a direct composite restoration or a single-unit crown yielded higher survival and success rates compared with teeth restored without fiber posts. Vertical fractures of roots not containing a post represented a frequently encountered and serious problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Guldener
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Thun, Switzerland; Private Practice, Fribourg, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Carla L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lanzrein
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Private Practice, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Beatrice E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Siegrist Guldener
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Center for Dental Medicine, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Niklaus P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christoph A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ramseier
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: giovanni.salvi@zmk.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Giovanni E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Salvi
mesh_terms: D003442:Crowns; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011176:Post and Core Technique / Q000009:adverse effects; D019553:Tooth, Nonvital / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Fiber post; restoration; root canal treatment; root filling; root fracture; single-unit crown