Effects of light attenuation by fibre posts on polymerization of a dual-cured resin cement and microleakage of post-restored teeth.

OBJECTIVES: The influence of light transmitting ability of different fibre posts on the polymerization of a dual-cured resin cement, and the further microleakage of the post-restored endodontically treated teeth were examined. METHODS: An LED curing light was used as light source and the measurements of 470 nm irradiances were made at 1mm intervals along the posts (P-Lux, P-White, and P-Steel). The polymerization of a dual-cured resin cement surrounding the posts at five depths (0, 2, 5, 8, and 10mm) from the top was evaluated using micro-Raman spectra after 40s light-curing. Meanwhile, 36 human single-rooted endodontically treated teeth were randomly divided into three groups and restored with these posts and the cement according to the manufacturers' instructions. Microleakages of the post-restored teeth were compared using an electrochemical measurement system on three consecutive days, and statistically analysed using nonparametric tests. RESULTS: Light transmission through fibre posts was exponentially reduced as the depth increased (p<0.05, R(2)>0.95), and the polymerization of the resin cement beyond the depth of 5mm significantly declined for all specimens (p<0.05). Fibre posts displayed higher value of light transmission, exhibited a higher polymerization rate of surrounding resin cement, and also demonstrated less microleakage; whilst P-Steel posts had the lowest polymerization rate and produced higher microleakage (p<0.017). CONCLUSIONS: The effective radiance along the post was diminished exponentially, which features the insufficient polymerization of a dual-cured resin cement surrounding the posts at apical region and might therefore influence the microleakage of post-restored teeth.