An audit of post-retained crown restorations in a University teaching hospital, Nigeria: a ten-year review

Abstract

Aim: To review the pattern of failure and the associated factors of the post retained restorations done over ten years.
Method: A retrospective cross-sectional study, which audited the record of post-retained restorations. Data including biodata, tooth type, post type, post size, luting cement, and failure were extracted and analyzed. Statistical significance was set at p value ≤0.05.

Results: There were 210 participants (M=106, F=104). Stainless steel para posts mainly were used (91.8%); with size three (3) being the highest (23.8%) recorded. Dual cure composite was mainly (78.1%) used for the post cementation. There were 27 (12.8%) cases of failure of post retained restorations of which post-fracture combined with post and crown dislodgement had the highest (52%), with the tooth fracture being the least reported (14.8%). Post fracture only was commoner in males (66.7%). The majority (81.5%) of the failure was seen in the para post group, with no tooth fracture reported for the fibre post.

Conclusion: Post and core placement is a common procedure for restoring endodontically treated teeth with a reduced coronal structure for the main purpose of retaining the core and, ultimately, the restoration. Stainless steel post was the commonest used, and post-fracture combined with dislodgement of post and crown constituted the most prevalent failure reported.