FRACTURE STRENGTH AND FRACTURE MODE OF RESIN ROOT ANALOGS RESTORED WITH VARIOUS POST AND CORE MATERIALS

Statement of Problem. Endodontically treated teeth frequently required posts and cores to provide retention and resistance form for crowns. In spite of excellent mechanical properties of metal post and core, its metallic color can be detected through all ceramic restorations occasionally. To solve esthetic problems of metal post and core zirconia post system has been introduced recently. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the fracture strength and mode of resin root analogs restored with zirconia, gold and titanium posts with resin, ceramic and metal cores after cementation with metal crowns. Materials and methods. To avoid the morphological variations of natural teeth, 40 root analogs were fabricated with composite resin. Forty resin root analogs were randomly assigned to four groups according to post and core materials: Group A: cast gold post and core and complete cast crowns, as control. Group B: titanium posts (Parapost, Coltent/Whaledent Inc., NJ, USA) and composite resin cores. Group C: zirconia posts (Cosmopost, Ivoclar AG, Schaan/Liechtenstein) and composite resin cores Group D: zirconia posts and heat-pressed ceramic cores (IPS Empress Cosmo Ingots, Ivoclar AG) After thermocycling ($5^{\circ}C{\sim}55^{\circ}C$, 30 sec.), cyclic loading was applied at 3mm below the incisal edge on the palatal surfaces at an angle of 135 degree to the long axis (2Hz, 50N, 50000cycles). Fracture strength was measured by universal testing machine (Instron, High Wycombe, UK) and fracture pattern of restored resin root analogs was also evaluated. Results and conclusion. Within the limitations of this study following results were drawn. 1. Resin root analogs restored with zirconia posts and composite resins demonstrated lowest fracture strength among tested groups. 2. There was no significant difference in the fracture strength between zirconia posts and heat pressed glass ceramic cores and cast gold posts and cores 3. The fracture strength of resin root analogs restored with titanium posts and composite resin cores was lower than that of gold posts and cores. 4. The deep oblique fracture lines were dominantly observed in root analogs restored with cast gold post and core and zirconia post and heat-pressed ceramic core groups.