Comparison of the retentive strength of 3 different posts in restoring badly broken primary maxillary incisors.

Purpose: The management of mutilated primary incisors in early childhood caries is a clinical challenge and necessitates the use of intraradicular retention. This study's purpose was to compare the retentive strength of 3 different types of posts in restoring broken primary incisors: (1) composite posts; (2) orthodontic "gamma" wire posts; and (3) glass fiber posts.

Methods: This vitro study was performed on 30 extracted human primary maxillary incisors. Samples were randomly divided into 3 groups of 10 each: group 1 (composite posts and composite core); group 2 (orthodontic "gamma" wire posts and composite core); and group 3 (glass fiber posts and composite core). Mounted specimens were subjected for tensile strength on an Instron testing machine. The values were statistically analyzed.

Results: Mean tensile strength values for glass fiber posts was 5.89+/-0.66 kg force, followed by 4.46+/-0.82 and 3.56+/-0.53 kg force for orthodontic wire posts and composite posts, respectively, with a statistically significant difference between and within the groups (P<.01). Groups 1 and 2 showed more bulk cohesive failure and less adhesive bond failure. Group 3 showed only adhesive bond failure.

Conclusion: Glass fiber posts showed greater dislodging strength, followed by orthodontic "gamma" wire posts and, least of all, composite posts.