Push-out bond strengths of tooth-colored posts bonded with different adhesive systems.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of luting systems and root region on the push-out bond strengths of a glass fiber-reinforced post and a zirconia post. METHODS: Thirty-two extracted human anterior teeth (central incisors and canines) were endodontically treated with lateral condensation of gutta percha and AH26 sealer. Teeth were randomly assigned to eight groups (n = 4 per group). Two post systems from the same manufacturer (Cosmopost, a zirconia post; or FRC Postec, a glass fiber-reinforced post) were placed with a luting system (bonding agent and resin luting agent). C-Post was cemented with One-Step and Post Cement Hi-X was used as the light-polymerized adhesive control. ParaPost Fiber White cemented with ParaPost Adhesive and ParaPost Resin Cement was used as an auto-polymerized adhesive control. The roots were sectioned in equal thirds (apical, middle and cervical). A push-out test was performed in each section to measure regional bond strengths in MPa. Means were analyzed with two-way ANOVA and Duncan's post-hoc test (alpha = 0.05). RESULTS: The fiber posts ranked in the highest statistical subset regardless of the luting system: ParaPost Fiber White (self-cure control), FRC Postec bonded with Excite DSC/Variolink II, FRC Postec bonded with Syntac/Variolink II, FRC Postec bonded with Excite DSC/Experimental Self Cure Cement, and C-Post bonded with One Step/Hi-X. The zirconia post Cosmopost ranked in the lowest subsets regardless of the adhesive system used at P < 0.05. Means for the medium region of the root (5.0 +/- 0.8 MPa) were not statistically different from those obtained either in the cervical or in the apical region. Means for the cervical root region (6.2 +/- 0.9 MPa) were statistically higher than those of the apical region (4.5 +/- 1.1 MPa) at P < 0.001.