3-DIMENSIONAL FINITE-ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF POSTS ON STRESS-DISTRIBUTION IN DENTIN

A finite element analysis was conducted to study the influence of post s on dentinal stress in pulpless teeth. Three-dimensional models of an intact Chinese maxillary central incisor with and without post restor ation were analyzed. When the tooth was subjected to masticatory and t raumatic loads, stress distributions in dentin were similar whether or not the post was present. Maximal dentinal stresses were reduced by o nly 7% to 10% and 10% to 14.5%, respectively, with gold alloy and stai nless steel posts. Thus the reinforcement effects from posts appeared limited in pulpless incisors.