Does the Moment of Fiber Post Cutting Influence on the Retention to Root Dentin?

Despite several advantages associated with pre-fabricated glass-fiber posts, the coronal portion of these posts must be cut to allow their use in various clinical situations. However, cutting the cemented post can generate stress on the bonding interface and affect the bond strength. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect the of fiber post cutting on the bond strength of root canals. Sixty bovine incisor roots were included in resin cylinders with simulated periodontal ligaments. Glass-fiber posts were luted using regular resin cement RelyX ARC (3M ESPE) or self-adhesive cement RelyX Unicem (3M ESPE). The posts were cut prior to cementation, immediately after luting or after building up the core (n=10). After storage for 24 h, the samples were cut and subject to push-out testing using a mechanical testing machine (EMIC DL 2000). Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA (resin cement x moment of post cutting) and Tukey's post hoc test (α=0.05). The moment of fiber post cutting did not affect the bond strength when Unicem was used. However, the bond strength was reduced when ARC was used and when the post was cut immediately. In conclusion, the moment of fiber post cutting may affect the retention of root canal posts when a regular resin cement is used.