Fracture strength and stress distributions of pulpless premolars restored with fiber posts

This study examined the effect of glass fiber posts on increasing the fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth. Extracted upper premolars with two canals in a root were divided into three groups according to the number of posts they were restored with: none, one, or two. All teeth were endodontically treated, crown-sectioned, and restored with a composite core and a metallic crown. A static oblique load was applied to the restored tooth until fracture, and the fracture pattern was recorded. Stress distributions were examined by finite element analysis (FEA). Teeth with glass fiber post(s) showed significantly higher fracture loads compared with those without posts. In the premolars without posts, von Mises and maximum principal stresses were found on the root surface alone; in premolars restored with posts, stresses were distributed on both root and post surfaces. Risk of root dentin fracture was significantly lowest in teeth restored with two posts.