A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 236 PATIENTS WITH TEETH RESTORED BY CARBON-FIBER-REINFORCED EPOXY-RESIN POSTS

Statement of problem. The Composipost dowel is made of stretched, alig ned carbon fibers embedded in an epoxy-resin matrix. It is widely used in Europe and Canada for the restoration of endodontically treated te eth and was introduced in the United States 2 years ago as the C-Post dowel. Purpose. This retrospective study evaluated treatment outcome o f the Composipost system after 2 to 3 pears. Material and methods. A t otal of 236 patients treated during a 1-year period by seven Swedish d ental practitioners were included. Of those, 146 patients consented an d data were collected from the dental records of the remaining patient s. Thus, the material comprised 236 teeth restored with carbon fiber-r einforced epoxy resin post, 130 maxillary and 106 mandibular teeth, wi th a mean restoration time of 32 months (range 27 to 41). Periodontal conditions, radiographic signs, and prosthodontic results were recorde d. Results. Five teeth (2%) had been extracted for reasons unrelated t o the Composipost system. Periodontal conditions such as plaque accumu lation, gingival health, bleeding on probing, and pocket depth around the teeth with Composipost dowels were similar to the control teeth. N o dislodgment or root or post fractures were observed clinically or on radiographs. Radiographic examination of bone height measured from th e apex to the bone margin mesially and distally showed differences on the mesial side but not on the distal surface (p < 0.05) between the C omposipost-treated teeth and the controls. Conclusions. Promising resu lts after 2 to 3 years of clinical service indicate that this system c an be a viable alternative to conventional post-and-core systems.