Mechanical properties of flared root canals restored with fiber post and chemically activated resin: study using push-out bond strength and fracture load tests

This study aimed to evaluate the fracture load and push-out bond strength of flared root canals restored with different procedures, including a technique with a fiber post and a chemically activated resin composite. Eighty human canines were selected and treated endodontically. Two methodologies were used: push-out and fracture load. The teeth were divided into four groups: Cast metal core (CMC); PAN (direct anatomic post); PAC (fiber post and accessory posts); and PE (fiber post with chemically activated resin composite). For the fracture load test, the samples were submitted to load application in a universal testing machine. The fracture mode was evaluated visually. Forty other samples were submitted to the push-out test. The fracture load (n = 10) and the bond strength (n = 10) were analyzed by analysis of variance and Tukey tests (α < 0.05). CMC presented the highest fracture load (p < 0.05), and no significant differences were observed in the fracture load values for Groups PAN, PAC, and PE. CMC presented 90% of unfavorable failures; PAN and PAC, the remaining 10% of these failures. PE presented only favorable failures. PAC presented lower push-out bond strength values. The fracture load for CMC procedure was higher than that of the others, but presented 90% unfavorable fractures, indicating the use of any of the glass fiber post techniques evaluated for restoring flared root canals due to favorable fracture modes.