Micro-CT Comparative Assessment of Quartz Fiber Hollow and Solid Posts for the Restoration of Endodontically Treated Teeth

Background Hollow posts have been introduced in clinical practice providing the possibility of injecting composite cement directly into the post. Aim of our study was to compare quartz fiber hollow posts with solid posts. Methods: 20 human teeth with straight single root canals were utilized for this study, dividing them into 2 groups with 10 elements each one restored with radiopaque quartz fiber hollow posts or radiopaque quartz fiber solid posts. 2 micro-CT (micro-computerized tomography) analyses allowed to evaluate both the presence of air voids in the cement and the different capacity of posts to penetrate until full depth into the post-space. Results: The Authors observed that hollow quartz fiber posts have shown to create a smaller volume of air voids in the cement (p< 0,05) and to better fit (p< 0,05) the post-space compared to the solid posts. Conclusion: Hollow posts can promote retention and lead to better long-term results for post-endodontic reconstructions.