Evaluation of Fiber Post Exposure on Coronal Microleakage of Endodontically Treated Teeth: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

Background: Coronal leakage is a significant cause of failure in endodontically treated teeth, and studies have reported the different effects of aqueous environments and occlusal forces on fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) materials. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of fiber post exposure on coronal microleakage in endodontically treated teeth restored with fiber post and composite core. Methods: Forty-five extracted maxillary incisors were sectioned at the CEJ, endodontically treated, and randomly divided into five groups. The specimens in the first group were restored with fiber post and core, but the post was not exposed and was covered with composite. The fiber posts were exposed in the second and fourth groups, while the fiber posts and luting cement were exposed in the third and fifth groups. The first, second, and third groups were varnished up to one millimeter below the CEJ, and the fourth and fifth groups up to the highest level of the composite core. The specimens were cut into two halves longitudinally with a diamond disc, and the depth of dye penetration was measured using a stereo microscope at the incisal and cervical interfaces. The Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test were performed to determine the significance of differences between the microleakage of different groups, with a significance level of 0.05. Results: The microleakage values of the groups with exposed fiber posts (fiber post-cement composite) did not differ. Due to the varnish coverage, the microleakage values in the cervical interface showed no significant difference in groups 1, 2, and 3, unaffected by post exposure at the incisal region. Conclusion: Fiber post exposure did not influence the microleakage values of endodontically treated teeth restored with fiber post-composite core buildup.