Survival rates of endodontically treated teeth restored with fiber-reinforced custom posts and cores: A 97-month study

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the long-term survival rates of polyethylene fiber-reinforced posts and cores used in endodontically treated teeth over a 97-month period. Materials and Methods: Sixty-nine patients from a private dental office who underwent endodontic treatment with coronoradicular fiber-reinforced restorations were selected and invited for evaluation. All teeth were restored with the same high-molecular-weight polyethylene fiber (Ribbond, Ribbond Inc) and resin composite cement (Enforce, Dentsply) post-and-core system by a single operator and then prepared and restored with complete cast crowns or direct resin composite. Survival functions of restorations were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests (alpha=.05) and displayed according to the variable tooth location and material of the definitive restoration. Results: Four posts fractured among the 36 anterior restorations evaluated, and 2 posts fractured among the 73 posterior restorations. The mean overall survival estimate was 90.2 (+/- 3.7) months (95% Cl: 82.8-97.5). There were no differences between survival functions regarding tooth location or type of restorative material as variables (P >.05). Conclusions: The results suggest that polyethylene fiber-reinforced posts with composite cores may be recommended for clinical use. Restorations evaluated in this study presented high survival rates after the 97-month follow-up period.