Fiber Posts: Cementation Techniques

Ralph Zarazir DDS, BDS, DU, MSc Lecturer, Department of Aesthetic & Restorative Dentistry, Saint Joseph University, Beirut Lebanon drzarazir@hotmail.com Cynthia Kassis Khoury DDS, BDS, DU, MSc Clinical Associate, Department of Aesthetic & Restorative Dentistry, Saint Joseph University, Beirut Lebanon cynthiakassis@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT In daily practice, the fiber post shows to be a fast and reliable technique, looking at the fact that it reduces working time compared to the traditional post & core preparation, by avoiding the second session necessary to finalize the pre-prosthetic reconstruction step. To have a long term stability and strength while reducing chair time as much as possible, we reviewed 2 fiber post cementation techniques, one using cements with etch-and-rinse adhesives and the other using self-adhesive cements. According to many studies, it shows that both techniques work well when the practicing dentist respects the prosthetic principles and the fabricants guidelines. The first technique provides stronger bond and retention to dental structures, while the second saves chair time and shows to be more user friendly. KEYWORDS Fiber post, Cementation, Etch-and-Rinse Adhesives, Self-adhesive Cements. INTRODUCTION Since the early 90s, prefabricated fiber-reinforced composite posts have been used with the introduction of carbon fiber posts.1 Other types of fiber-reinforced composite posts have been developed at a later stage in the attempt of improving aesthetics, thanks to the selection of glass or white quartz fibers and translucent resinous matrices.2 The scientific literature is generally approving fiber posts application in clinical practice. Most in vitro and in vivo studies agree that fiber posts failure mode is more favorable than with metal posts and the level of success seen in short-term published clinical studies is being confirmed by ongoing long-term evaluations. If certain basic principles are followed it is possible to achieve high levels of clinical success with most of the current fiber posts available on the market. After the restoration procedure of endodontically treated teeth by this technique, the post in combination with adhesive materials can form a structurally and mechanically homogeneous complex with dentin.3 The main success criteria are the choice of the post, as well as the cementation technique used and the cement properties. A consistent number of in vitro and in vivo studies that investigated different types of cements for fiber post and cementation techniques have been published so far. Dual-cured and self-cured adhesives and composites being generally user friendly, proved to be efficient for post cementation.
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This article, based on the results of original scientific full-papers from peer-reviewed journals listed in PubMed aimed to summarize research conducted on these types of cement, particularly regarding fiber post cementation. POST RETENTION The primary function of a corono-radicular post is to provide retention for a core, which replaces lost coronal tooth structure and retains the final restoration without compromising the apical seal of the endodontic filling. As actually many fiber posts are available on the market, it is important for the clinician to know the properties of each fiber post, and to consequently select the more appropriate. Therefore, it is important to select a post system optimizing retention. Some factors have been identified:
Post length: It influences the stress load along the root

and increases its retention. A post that is too short is bound to fail. Inadequate length is the leading cause of restorations failure on endodontically treated teeth. The post should reach two-thirds of the entire root length without disturbing the apical seal.
Post diameter: One third of the root diameter is

postulated in many reviews. Increasing the diameter does not provide a significant increase in the retention of the post. It should not be increased at the expense of the dentin.
Post design: The literature indicates that a passive

parallel-sided post will allow a successful restoration for most endodontically treated teeth. Parallel-sided

posts are more retentive followed by the parallel tapered combination design, whereas tapered posts are the least retentive.4 Parallelsided posts and those surrounded by large amounts of cement had lower fracture rates than tapered posts with maximal adaptation in the root canal.
Surface configuration: It plays an important role in

Current dentin bonding agents have hydrophilic and hydrophobic components that react with both the tooth structure and the resin. These agents achieve chemical adhesion as well as micromechanical bonding to dentin collagen and tubules, leading to reduced micro-leakage between the tooth and the restorations, thus reducing recurrent caries around restorations and minimizing coronal and apical contamination of the root canal system. Ceramic etching with hydrofluoric acid is able to create a rough surface that allows for micromechanical interlocking with the resinous cement. This methodology has been recently proposed for etching glass fiber posts.9-10 Several studies suggest the use of Silane coupling agents in coating fiber posts for enhancing adhesion to composite resins.11 However; opinion differs about the efficiency of post silanization. Some authors and manufacturers have proposed adhesive systems as a possible alternative to Silane solutions in fiber post couplings.12 The use of Silane couplings and the consecutive application of a bonding agent have been recently evaluated with controversial results. CONVENTIONAL CEMENTS Resin cements with etch-and-rinse adhesives have been successfully used with fiber posts for the longest period of time, and the vast majority of clinical studies investigated this type of cements. Application steps of etch-and-rinse adhesives in root dentin do not differ from coronal dentin. However, etch and rinse adhesives are generally considered to be technique sensitive. The main reason for widely discussed technique sensitivity of etch-and-rinse systems is the questionable degree of surface wetness needed after rinsing the acid. Gutta Percha should be removed using Gates Glidden drills or an endodontic heat carrier from the coronal and middle thirds of each root until the desired length is reached. A minimum of 4 to 5mm of Gutta Percha must remain to preserve the apical seal. That should be confirmed radiographically before the post is cemented. The canal is prepared with the matching sized post drills and posts, and all remnants of Gutta Percha must be removed from the walls of the post space to facilitate and enhance bonding. The post spaces are usually etched with 35% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds, rinsed with water for about 30 seconds, and dried with paper points in order to avoid desiccation of the dentin surface, while for adhesive application, micro-brushes are commonly used for both the post space and on the post itself.13-14 The adhesive could be light-cured for 20 seconds before resin cement insertion or not and the light source should

retention. Posts with rough surfaces produce a higher strength of the bond to the cement than do the untreated posts, because of increase in surface area for bonding. It is a common belief that a post is generally placed in an attempt to strengthen the tooth. However, it is now felt that a post preparation and the post itself weaken the tooth further and make the root more susceptible to fracture. The decision to place a post should only be based on the need for retention of coronal structure.5 The survival of a pulpless tooth is directly related to the quantity and quality of remaining tooth structure. Resistance to fracture of the non-vital tooth is related to the thickness of remaining root dentin, especially in the buccolingual direction. The amount of remaining tooth structure is necessary to warrant post insertion and stability.6 All posts, more or less, gain their final retention by cementation into the root canal. Fiber posts are passively retained within the root canals. They are prevented from dislodgment by the luting agent adherence to the post and to the intra-radicular dentin. There is also a need for adherence to the core material and the coronal dentin.7 The main criteria for selection of the cement would favor the one offering the greatest retention with the least time and effort. Many types of dental cement do not exhibit any real adhesion to the dentine or enamel surfaces. Their retention is essentially a locking of thin cement layer into irregularities of both the post and the canal. The ability of cements to retain a post influences the prognosis of the final restoration. RESIN CEMENT SELECTION Various types of cements are used for post retention. According to the curing mode, resin cements may be light-curing, dual-curing or self-curing materials. Additionally, resin cements may be categorized into the following groups, based on the adhesive system they use, and their adhesive approach:
1. 2.

Cements with etch-and-rinse adhesives Self-adhesive cements

Assif D and Ferber A8 proved that when resin-based cements were used, a significant retention increase was shown compared with conventional cements. Adhesive resin cements are being used for cementation of the post because of their stronger bond to tooth structure.

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be placed on top of the post-space. Additional lightcuring can be performed for 60 seconds after bonding of the fiber post with the resin cement. Posts should be cemented with cement placed into the canal space and also by coating the post prior to insertion. Coating only the posts with cement always gives an incomplete lute.15 SELF-ADHESIVE CEMENTS In 2002, a new subgroup of resin cements was introduced: The self-adhesives. Because the use of conventional and resin cements had some limitations and difficulties, fabricants designed those new materials to overcome these difficulties and facilitate the cementation procedure. Self-adhesive cements do not require any pretreatment of the tooth substrate: once the cement is mixed, application is accomplished through a single clinical step. They are user friendly and becoming more and more popular. Some products offer application tips exclusively made for easy and efficient fiber post cementation. Since those self-adhesive cements are still relatively new, detailed information on their composition and adhesive properties or clinical data regarding their effectiveness are limited or lacking. However, several products are already available in the market differing in terms of delivery systems, working/ setting times and composition. All these products are dualcured materials that are indicated for adhesive cementation of any indirect restoration, including fiber posts. The adhesion mechanism is claimed to rely on micromechanical retention and chemical interaction between monomer acidic groups and hydroxyapatite. All published articles on self adhesive cements, so far, are based on in vitro investigations.16-17 RelyX Unicem bonding to root dentin has been investigated when using the cement for luting fiber posts.18-21 Thin-slice push out tests,18-20 retention tests21-22 and morphological evaluations of the cement-root dentin interfaces19 were performed to assess the effectiveness of cementation. Similarly to coronal dentin, the push-out bond strength of RelyX Unicem was comparable to Panavia F 2.0. However, both cements recorded significantly lower bond strengths compared to Variolink applied in combination with the etch-and-rinse dual-cured adhesive Excite DSC (Ivoclar Vivadent). Different results were reported in another investigation, where RelyX Unicem push-out strength was significantly higher than that of Panavia F, Variolink and other resin cements investigated. Moreover, values were significantly higher after thermo-cycling: the authors speculated that the self-adhesive cements moisture tolerance may

explain its favorable adhesion in the root canals.20 A significant increase in RelyX Unicem push-out strength was found after 24h of water storage in comparison to immediate testing.18 Retention of quartz fiber posts luted with RelyX Unicem was comparable to the results obtained with RelyX ARC in combination with an etchand-rinse adhesive.21 One study assessed RelyX Unicem bonding to zirconia (CosmoPost, Ivoclar Vivadent) and fiber posts (FRC Postec, Ivoclar Vivadent) after CoJet treatment (3M ESPE) using push out test.23 The push-out strength of RelyX Unicem was significantly higher on fiber posts than on zirconia posts cemented in artificial post spaces.23 The application of RelyX Unicem17-19 and Maxcem17 to radicular dentin does not result in the formation of hybrid layer or resin tags and inability to etch through the smear layer formed in the root canal were observed when they were used for adhesive cementation of fiber posts. The morphological findings at the cement-dentin interface formed by self-adhesive cements are noticeably different in comparison to the interface formed with resin cements applied in combination used with etch-and-rinse adhesives. DISCUSSION It is often recommended to avoid Eugenol-based sealers, due to the risk that remnants of Eugenol may compromise the bonding effect. Etch and Rinse adhesives may attain higher adhesion to Eugenol contaminated dentine surfaces than self-etching adhesives. This was explained by the selfetching adhesives mechanism of action, which is based on incorporation of the Eugenol, containing smear layer, into the hybrid layer tubules that may interfere with complete polymerization of resin cements and their adhesives. Concerning Fiber Post techniques for anatomical root variations, Boksman et al. have described and suggested a technique for the inevitable variations: In a simple case, where the canal treatment results in the typical tapered conservative shape, less than 25% larger than the Fiber Post, a single Fiber post can be inserted and covered with a composite core build up in preparation for the prosthetic restoration. In the case where the coronal circumference has a wide flare of more than 50% greater than that of the largest Fiber Post available, or the practitioner is working with a ribbon, ovoid, or triangular canal, the suggested technique starts by preparing the canal and assessing the fit of the Fiber post. The large amount of resin cement will need to be minimized to decrease the shrinkage factor. After direct injection of the dual-cured resin cement, the pre-bonded Fiber Post is inserted and pre-bonded Fiber cones are inserted next to it. Then, core composite is injected between and around the Fiber cones and central master Fiber Post and hand sculpted prior to light curing.24

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DArcangelo et al. have studied the effect of resin cement film thickness on the pullout strength of a fiber-reinforced post system. The highest bond strength values were not obtained when the thinnest cement layer was tested but when oversized post spaces were used. However, when the cement film thickness was too great, the dislocation resistance of fiber-reinforced posts was significantly decreased.25 Faria et al. evaluated the effect of fiber post relining with composite resin on push-out bond strength. Twenty bovine incisors were selected to assess post retention. Relined fiber posts presented higher retention values than the non-relined ones. All failures occurred at the interface between resin cement and root dentin.26 CONCLUSION According to many studies, the choice of resin cements that rely on the use of etch and rinse adhesives has been shown to achieve higher interfacial strengths in post spaces when compared with self-etching resin cements,13-27 whereas the second group, while being efficient and reliable as well, saves more chair time and appears to be very user friendly. Both techniques are scientifically accepted, the choice comes to the clinician and his personal assessment on which fits the best for his case and time management. REFERENCES
1. Ferrari M, Vichi A, Garca-Godoy F. Clinical evaluation of fiber reinforced epoxy resin posts and cast post and cores. Am J Dent. 2000;13:15-8. 2. Duret B, Reynaud M, Duret F. New concept of coronoradicular reconstruction: the Composipost (1). Chir Dent Fr. 1990;60(540):131-41. 3. Ferrari M, Vichi A, Grandini S, Goracci C. Efficacy of a self-curing adhesive-resin cement system on luting glass-fiber posts into root canals: an SEM investigation. Int J Prosthodont. 2001;14(6):543-9. 4. Grewal P1, Grewal K2, Grover D. A Literature Review of Different Criteria for Selecting and Cementing a post- A review. J Clin Exp Dent. 2011;3(4):e321-4. 5. Gonzaga C, Campos E, Barattofilho F. Restoration of endodontically treated teeth. RSBO 2011;8(3):e33-46 6. Varvara G, Perinetti G, Dilorio D, et al. In vitro evaluation of fracture resistance and failure mode of internally restored endodontically treated maxillary incisors with different heights of residual dentin. J Prosthet Dent. 2007;98(5):365-372. 7. Albaladejo A, Osorio R, Papacchini F et al. Post silanization improves bond strength of translucent posts to flowable composite resins. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2007;82(2):320-4. 8. Assif D, Ferber A. Retention of dowels using a composite resin as a cementing medium. J Prosthet Dent. 1982;48:292-6.

9. Sahafi A, Peutzfeld A, Asmussen E et al. Effect of surface treatment of prefabricated posts on bonding of resin cement. Oper Dent. 2004;29(1):60-8. 10. DArcangelo C, DAmario M, Prosperi GD et al. Effect of surface treatments on tensile bond strength and on morphology of quartzfiber posts. J Endod. 2007;33(3):264-7. 11. Khan A, Huq T, Saha M et al. Effect of Silane Treatment on the Mechanical and Interfacial Properties of Calcium Alginate Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Composite. Journal of Composite Materials. 2010; vol. 44 no. 24 2875-2886. 12. Monticelli F1, Ferrari M2, Toledano M. Cement system and surface treatment selection for fiber post luting. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2008;13(3):E214-21. 13. Ferrari M, Vichi A, Mannocci F et al. Retrospective study of the clinical performance of fiber posts. Am J Dent. 2000;13(Spec No):9B-13B. 14. Pirani C, Chersoni S, Foschi F et al. Does hybridization of intra-radicular dentin really improve fiber post retention in endodontically treated teeth? Journal of Endodontics. 2005;31(12):891-94. 15. Bonfante EA, Pegoraro LF, de Ges MF et al. SEM observation of the bond integrity of fiber-reinforced composite posts cemented into root canals. Dent Mater. 2008; 24(4):483-491. 16. Bishara SE, Ajlouni R, Laffoon JF et al. Comparison of shear bond strength of two self-etch primer/adhesive systems. Angle Orthod. 2006;76(1):123-6. 17. Sirimai S, Riis DN, Morgano SM. An in vitro study of the fracture resistance and the incidence of vertical root fracture of pulpless teeth restored with six post-and-core systems. J Prosth et Dent. 1999;81(3):262-9. 18. Sadek FT, Goracci C, Monticelli F et al. Immediate and 24-hour evaluation of the interfacial strengths of fiber posts. J Endod. 2006;32(12):1174-7. 19. Goracci C, Sadek FT, Fabianelli A et al. Evaluation of the adhesion of fiber posts to intra-radicular dentin. Oper Dent. 2005 30(5):627-35. 20. Bitter K, Meyer-Lueckel H, Priehn K et al. Effects of luting agent and thermo-cycling on bond strengths to root canal dentine. Int Endod J. 2006;39(10):809-18. 21. Bateman GJ, Lloyd CH, Chadwick RG et al. Retention of quartzfiber endodontic posts with a self-adhesive dual cure resin cement. Eur J Prosthodont Restor Dent. 2005;13(1):33-7. 22. Balbosh A, Ludwig K, Kern M. Comparison of titanium dowel retention using four different luting agents. J Prosthet Dent. 2005;94(3):227-33. 23. Bitter K, Priehn K, Martus P et al. In vitro evaluation of push-out bond strengths of various luting agents to tooth-colored posts. J Prosthet Dent. 2006;95(4):302-10. 24. Grandini S, Sapio S, Simonetti M. Use of anatomic post and core for reconstructing an endodontically treated tooth: a case report. J Adhes Dent. 2003;5:243247. 25. DArcangelo C, Cinelli M, De Angelis F et al. The effect of resin cement film thickness on the pullout strength of a fiber-reinforced post system. J Prosthet Dent. 2007;98(3):193-8. 26. Faria S, ALPedrosa-Filho C, Menezes M et al. Effect of relining on fiber post retention to root canal. J Appl Oral Sci. 2009;17(6):600-4. 27. Malferrari S, Monaco C, Scotti R. Clinical evaluation of teeth restored with quartz fiber-reinforced epoxy resin posts. Int J Prosthodont. 2003;16(1):39-44.

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