Micro-CT Comparative Assessment of Quartz Fiber Hollow and Solid Posts for the Restoration of Endodontically Treated Teeth

Background: Hollow posts have been introduced in clinical practice, providing the possibility of injecting luting resin directly into the post. The aim of our study was to compare quartz fiber hollow posts with solid posts. Methods: In total, 20 human teeth with straight single root canals were utilized for this study, divided into two groups with 10 elements each, one restored with radiopaque quartz fiber hollow posts and the other with radiopaque quartz fiber solid posts. In total, two micro-CT (micro-computerized tomography) analyses allowed us to evaluate both the presence of air voids in the luting resin and the different capacities of posts to penetrate until full depth into the post space. Results: The authors observed that hollow quartz fiber posts create a smaller volume of air voids in the luting resin (p < 0.01) and better fit (p < 0.05) the post space compared to the solid posts. Conclusions: Hollow posts can promote retention. Future studies with larger samples are encouraged to confirm these findings and provide possible better long-term results for post-endodontic reconstructions in vivo.