[Application of bioactive ceramics iRoot BP Plus® in pulpotomy for complicated crown fracture of immature permanent anterior teeth in children].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical and radiographic effectiveness of a calcium silicate-based bioactive ceramic iRoot BP Plus® pulpotomy of immature permanent teeth with complicated crown fracture and to evaluate the factors influencing its long-term success rate. METHODS: The digital medical records of patients under 13 years old who had undergone iRoot BP Plus® pulpotomy in the Department of Oral Emergency or the First Clinical Division, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from March 2017 to September 2022 due to complicated crown fracture of anterior teeth, and had taken at least one post-operation apical radiograph were reviewed. The clinical and radiographic information at the initial examination and follow-up period were obtained, including crown color, mobility, percussion, cold test (partial pulpotomy teeth), dental restoration, fistula, swelling or inflammation of the gingival tissue, the formation of apical foramen, pathologic radiolucency and calcification of pulp chamber or root canal obliteration. Data were tested by Fisher exact test and a multiple comparison. RESULTS: In the study, 64 patients including 37 males (57.8%) and 27 females (42.2%) with a mean age of 9.1 years : ere finally enrolled. The total number of permanent teeth that received pulpotomy was 75, and the average follow-up time was 19.3 months. The success rate was 93.1% with the time interval between dental injury and treatment in 24 h, while the success rate dropped to 88.2% with the time intervals beyond 24 h. The time intervals did not significantly affect the pulp survival rate (P=0.61) after pulpotomy (partial or coronal). The success rate 6 months after pulpotomy was 96. 0%, and one-year success rate was 94. 7%. A total of 23 cases were reviewed for more than 2 years after pulpotomy, and 6 cases failed. The mobility had no significant effect on the success rate (P=0.28). Pulp chamber calcification and pulp canal obli-teration were not observed in all the post-operative radiographs. CONCLUSION: The one year clinical and radiographic success rates obtained in this study indicate that iRoot BP Plus® is an appropriate pulp capping material option for pulpotomy treatment of complicated crown fracture in immature permanent teeth without displacement injuries. This technique has broad promotional value.

Dental implants significantly increase adjacent tooth loss risk due to root fracture.

DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the risk and variables of tooth loss for teeth adjacent to dental implants compared to teeth nonadjacent to implants. The study followed the STROBE guidelines and was approved by the Institutional Review Board. COHORT SELECTION: The study included patients treated with dental implants at UCSF School of Dentistry between 2000 and 2020. The inclusion criteria for teeth adjacent to implants required the implant to support a fixed prosthesis and a follow-up period of at least 12 months. Nonadjacent teeth also required a follow-up period of at least 12 months. Teeth were excluded if they had a hopeless prognosis or were planned for extraction before the completion of restorative treatment. DATA ANALYSIS: Data were extracted from electronic health records, including patient demographics, dental histories, and outcomes for teeth adjacent and nonadjacent to implants. Statistical analyses, including Kaplan-Meier survival plots, log-rank tests, and multivariate logistic regression, were used to compare tooth survival and identify aetiologies of tooth loss. RESULTS: The study included 787 patients, with 2048 teeth adjacent and 15,637 teeth nonadjacent to implants. The 10-year cumulative survival rate was 89.2% for teeth adjacent to implants and 99.3% for nonadjacent teeth. Teeth adjacent to implants had a significantly higher risk of tooth loss (Odds Ratio [OR] 13.15). The primary etiology of tooth loss adjacent to implants was root fracture (45.2%), followed by caries (28.9%), periodontitis (24.1%), and endodontic failure (1.8%). For nonadjacent teeth, periodontitis was the leading cause of tooth loss (51.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The study found that teeth adjacent to dental implants had a significantly higher risk of tooth loss, primarily due to root fractures. The findings suggest that dental implants may act as an iatrogenic factor, increasing the risk of complications for adjacent teeth. Conservative management of natural dentition should be prioritized, with emphasis on stringent periodontal surveillance and effective home care. Future research should focus on prospective studies to further explore these associations and improve clinical outcomes.

Incidence and contributing factors of non-root canal treated teeth with chronic fatigue root fracture: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Chronic fatigue root fracture describes a root fracture in a non-root canal treated (non-RCT) tooth. This study aimed to report the incidence and contributing factors of non-RCT teeth with chronic fatigue root fracture in a Taiwanese population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included teeth extracted at Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan between 2018 and 2019. The reasons for extractions were recorded and included vertical and horizontal root fractures (VRF and HRF). Comparisons of clinical factors between teeth with fatigue VRF and teeth with fatigue HRF were performed by chi-square or Fisher exact test, where appropriate. RESULTS: Of the 4207 extracted teeth examined, 263 (6.25%) had tooth fracture. Thirty-two non-RCT teeth had chronic fatigue root fracture, including 16 with VRF and 16 with HRF. The incidence was 0.76% (32/4207). The occurrence of chronic fatigue root fracture was higher in males (83.9%). The mean age of the 31 patients with chronic fatigue root fracture was 71.7 ± 13.1 years. More than half of these teeth had intact crowns with severe attrition. The fatigue VRF occurred more frequently in molars (P = 0.003), in roots with a long oval cross-section (P = 0.037), and in terminal teeth (P = 0.013) than the fatigue HRF. CONCLUSION: The incidence of chronic fatigue root fracture is 0.76%. Both VRF and HRF occur mainly in aged males, in posterior teeth with attrition, and in teeth without restoration. Tooth position, cross-section root morphology, and terminal tooth are contributing factors related to chronic fatigue root fracture.

Attitudes and emotional status of parents regarding traumatic dental injuries.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Traumatic dental injuries have different effects on children and their parents, depending on the type of trauma and whether it is in primary or permanent teeth. Parents do not always seek immediate intervention for their children after each traumatic dental injury unless accompanied by conditions such as pain or bleeding that will increase emotional stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the emotional status of parents and parents' attitudes toward urgent intervention for different traumatic dental injuries in both primary and permanent teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire consisting of two parts was designed with a reliability coefficient of 0.87 according to the results of a pilot study. The questionnaire was sent to parents as a Google Form via online communication methods such as WhatsApp and e-mail. The first part included questions about the demographic data of the parents and children, and the second part consisted of images of traumatic dental injuries of primary and permanent teeth with questions to evaluate the emotional state of the parents and awareness of the necessity for urgent intervention. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the emotional state, and "Absolutely yes;" "Yes;" "I don't have an idea;" "No;" and "Absolutely no" statements were used to evaluate parents' attitudes about urgent intervention. Categorical variables were shown as numbers and percentages and analyzed with Pearson chi-square. Statistical significance was evaluated for p < .05, and correlations between variables were calculated with Pearson correlation. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 845 parents. All traumatic injuries except extrusion (p = .202; p ≥ .05) had statistically different VAS scores for primary and permanent teeth (p < .05). Parents' attitudes for urgent intervention were statistically significant for all traumatic injuries (p < .05) except 4-mm intrusion (p = .062; p ≥ .05), alveolar fracture (p = .282; p ≥ .05), complicated crown fracture (p = .136; p ≥ .05), and non-traumatized healthy teeth (p = .110; p ≥ .05). CONCLUSIONS: Traumatic dental injuries with excessive bleeding or tissue loss affect the emotional status of parents more than simple injuries, and they prefer to refer to dentists immediately. Parents responded with higher VAS scores and stronger desires for urgent intervention for permanent teeth injuries compared with primary teeth injuries which shows that parents still do not care about primary teeth as much as permanent teeth.

Conservative management of a horizontal root fracture in a primary maxillary central incisor: Case report.

Dental trauma occurs frequently in toddlers and the treatment protocols vary depending on each case. Thus, clinicians must not only plan the treatment but also consider any possible sequelae and characteristics related to the child and the family. The aim of this paper was to report a case of a three-year-old boy who had a horizontal root fracture in the middle third of the primary maxillary right incisor root (tooth 51) and crown discoloration of the primary maxillary left incisor (tooth 61) which were successfully treated with conservative management. The management was established in agreement with the family and was based on active surveillance. The clinical and radiographic follow-ups showed no changes besides pulp canal calcification of the left incisor throughout the eight years of follow-up. The pulps remained normal with no pathological signs throughout their life cycle and the permanent successors erupted normally, presenting an excellent result of the non-invasive approach adopted.

Epidemiological aspects of dental trauma associated with maxillofacial injures: Ten years of clinical experience in Trieste, Italy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of dental injuries in patients with facial fractures is relevant. Epidemiologically, dental trauma in association with facial fractures generally affects the age group between 20 and 40 years old, with a higher prevalence in males. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify the incidence and etiology of dental trauma associated with facial fractures over a 10-year period. METHODS: From January 2009 to April 2019, among 381 patients with facial fractures, 353 were included in this study. Age, gender, trauma etiology, injured teeth and dental treatment were investigated. RESULTS: From 353 patients, with a mean age of 49.7 ± 19.9 years, 247 (70%) were males and 106 (30%) were females. Accidental falls were the most common type of injury (n = 118, 33.4%), followed by road accidents (n = 90, 25.5%), assaults (n = 60, 17%) and sports trauma (n = 37, 10.5%). Fifty-five subjects (15.60%) had dental injuries associated with facial fractures. Of the 145 teeth involved, 48 (33.1%) were diagnosed with luxation, 22 teeth (15.2%) were avulsed, 11 teeth (7.5%) suffered a concussion and there were 10 (6.8%) alveolar wall fractures.Uncomplicated enamel-dentin fracture was the more frequent hard tissue injury (n = 21, 14.5%), followed by complicated crown-root fracture (n = 10, 6.9%), infraction (n = 8, 5.5%), enamel fracture (n = 3, 2%) and complicated enamel-dentin fracture (n = 3, 2%). There was a peak in incidence between 21 and 40 years (42%). Males had a significantly higher risk of facial fractures with dental injury (75%). Maxillary incisors and canines (62.8%) were the most affected teeth. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high prevalence of dental injuries associated with facial fractures. Maxillary incisors were the most injured teeth, with a higher prevalence in males.

The risk of healing complications in primary teeth with root fractures: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Primary teeth are frequently affected by traumatic dental injuries. Root fractures are rare and have a reported incidence of 2% in the primary dentition. Hence, there is limited evidence on this topic. This study aims to evaluate the risk of healing complications in primary teeth with root fracture and to identify possible sequelae in the permanent dentition following root fracture in the primary dentition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a cohort of 53 patients with 74 root fractured primary teeth. The standard follow-up program included clinical and radiographic examination after 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year after the trauma and when the patient was 6 years of age. The following complications were registered: pulp necrosis (PN), pulp canal obliteration (PCO), ankylosis with replacement root resorption (ARR), infection-related root resorption (IRR), premature tooth loss (PTL), and repair-related resorption (RRR). STATISTICS: The Kaplan-Meier and Aalen-Johansen estimators were employed. The level of significance was 5%. RESULTS: A total of 74 teeth were included. 42 teeth were extracted at the initial examination. Risks estimated after 3 years: PTL 45.9% [95% CI: 28.8-63.0], PCO 12.9% [95% CI: 2.3-23.4], PN 14.9% [95% CI: 3.9-25.9], RRR 2.6% [95% CI: 0.0-7.5]. No teeth showed ARR or IRR. All complications were diagnosed within the first year. Most common sequelae in the permanent dentition was demarcated opacities, with an estimated risk of 20% [95% CI: 8.2-41.3]. CONCLUSIONS: There is a low risk of healing complications following a root fracture in the primary dentition. Root fractures often result in early extraction of the coronal fragment. The remaining apical fragment will undergo a physiological resorption. Aside from opacities, there is a low risk of sequelae in the permanent dentition.

Ten-year follow up of previously traumatized immature permanent incisors sustaining second and third traumatic injuries after revascularization treatment: Case reports.

The long-term prognosis of previously traumatized immature permanent teeth treated with guided endodontic repair is well documented, but little is known about how these teeth respond to further traumatic injury after treatment. This case report presents the 10-year clinical and radiographic findings of two patients with traumatized maxillary incisors who underwent guided endodontic repair treatment and sustained two further traumatic injuries. Three crown-fractured maxillary central incisors with pulp necrosis were treated with a protocol that used 2.5% NaOCl irrigation, 3-4 weeks medication with calcium hydroxide or ciprofloxacin-metronidazole paste, induction of apical bleeding, and coronal sealing with mineral trioxide aggregate. One tooth sustained subluxation and a crown fracture after 20 months and 7 years, respectively. Two other teeth had a luxation injury at 9 months and subluxation 6.5 years after the repair treatment. One subluxated and one luxated tooth remained free of symptoms for 10 years with radiographic evidence of progressive root canal calcification, while the other luxated incisor required root canal treatment after 7.5 years. Although teeth treated with the so-called "regenerative" endodontic techniques do not possess true pulp tissue, the reparative tissue may respond to traumatic injuries in a similar manner to teeth with normal pulps.

Traumatic dental injuries and their sequelae in visually impaired adolescents.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Traumatic dental injuries are a public health problem. Visual impairment can be considered a risk factor for traumatic dental injury given the difficulties imposed upon visually impaired patients by limited physical perception. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of traumatic dental injuries and their sequelae in adolescents with visual impairment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Adolescents (12-18 years) with visual impairment (blind or low vision) and no other special needs were included in the study. Data were collected after a clinical and radiographic examination. Data regarding gender, age, type of visual impairment, site of traumatic dental injury, tooth type, and affected tissues, care, and sequelae were obtained. The data were analyzed descriptively and with the chi-square test (p < .05). RESULTS: Among 96 adolescents (65% blind; 55% female), 20.8% (n = 20) reported they had previously experienced a traumatic dental injury of 33 teeth (78.8% maxillary central incisors). Combined injuries (30.3%; n = 10) were the most common traumatic dental injuries, followed by concussion (27.3%, n = 9) and enamel-dentine fractures (21.2%, n = 7). Sequelae were observed in 27.3% (n = 9) of the teeth affected by a traumatic dental injury, and apical periodontitis (77.8%, n = 7) was the most common. CONCLUSION: The frequency of traumatic dental injuries among visually impaired adolescents can be considered high, and the observed sequelae could have been minimized if adequate clinical and radiographic follow up had been carried out. These results suggest the importance of enhanced educational efforts to reduce traumatic dental injuries.

Orthograde apical plug in a traumatized tooth with necrotic pulp and immature apex using calcium silicate cement: A case report.

This case report describes dental management of a 15- year-old boy, undergoing treatment for Thalassaemia Major and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia with bone marrow transplant and immuno-suppressants. During the course of his treatment the patient developed a swelling in anterior maxilla and therefore was referred by the primary physician for evaluation. This case report highlights the management of medically compromised patients in a tertiary care hospital in which apexification was carried out in a permanent immature tooth utilizing MTA as an immediate apical plug.

Acute Prevertebral Abscesses Caused by Bacterial-infected Traumatic Tooth Fractures.

We report a case of acute prevertebral abscess caused by traumatic tooth fractures in a 77-year-old Japanese man. After being transferred to our hospital the patient was initially diagnosed with a neck hematoma; however, blood culture showed Streptococcus parasanguinis, an oral bacterium, and an MRI examination suggested prevertebral abscesses. Tooth fractures, severe periodontitis, and peri-implantitis with Streptococcus parasanguinis were observed. Antibiotics were administered and fractured teeth were extracted. The patient's condition then gradually improved. We concluded that bacteremia caused by traumatic tooth fractures induced the acute prevertebral abscesses.

Effect of Preoperative Dental Extraction on Postoperative Complications After Total Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Poor dental hygiene has historically been considered a potential risk factor for infection in total joint arthroplasty (TJA), which has resulted in the common practice of requiring preoperative dental clearance and often results in dental extractions. However, the association between dental pathology and periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) has recently been called into question. METHODS: A consecutive series of 2457 primary total hip and total knee arthroplasties were retrospectively reviewed. Documented dental evaluation was found in 1944 (79.1%) procedures, 223 (11.5%) of which had extraction of at least 1 tooth. No documented dental evaluation was found in 369 (15.0%) patients. RESULTS: The overall complication rate was 3.87% with an overall PJI rate of 1.51%. There was no statistically significant association between a complication and procedure type, sex, preoperative dental evaluation or extraction, diabetes status, immunosuppression, malnutrition, or age. However, our sample demonstrated a higher complication rate among patients undergoing dental extraction as well as for those with diabetes and immunosuppressed patients. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that routine formal dental clearance for all TJA patients may not be necessary. Additionally, patients with poor oral hygiene may not have elevated risk of postoperative PJI, and preoperative tooth extraction may represent an unnecessary step for patients undergoing elective TJA.

Pulp prognosis following conservative pulp treatment in teeth with complicated crown fractures-A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Complicated crown fractures are relatively common in children where the maintenance of the pulp is especially important in young permanent teeth. The aim of this study was to analyze the pulp prognosis of permanent teeth with complicated crown fractures treated with conservative pulp treatment in adolescents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Complete dental records of teeth with complicated crown fractures treated with conservative pulp treatment were obtained. The risk of pulp necrosis and infection was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression (P<.05). Risk factors included gender, age, time interval between dental injury and treatment, stage of root development, type of pulp treatment, and coronal restoration. RESULTS: The study involved 375 teeth treated with direct pulp capping, partial or coronal pulpotomy, and direct pulp capping retreated by pulpotomy (partial or coronal). The frequency of pulp necrosis and infection was 10.1% (11/109) for partial pulpotomy and 9.8% (22/205) for coronal pulpotomy. There was no difference between partial and coronal pulpotomy (P=.673). The risk of pulp necrosis and infection was not significantly different between pulpotomy (partial and coronal; 33/314, 10.5%) and retreatment by pulpotomy (partial or coronal) after direct pulp capping (2/33, 6.1%; P=.436). However, the frequency of pulp necrosis and infection after direct pulp capping (16/28, 57.1%) was significantly higher than that with pulpotomy (partial or coronal; odds ratio=8.216, P<.001). The time interval between dental injury and treatment did not significantly influence pulp survival after pulpotomy (partial or coronal; P=.312), but the stage of root development had a significant impact (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Partial or coronal pulpotomy, employed either as a primary pulp treatment or secondary to emergency pulp capping, had similarly satisfactory pulp survival rates.

Cervical-thoracic necrotizing fasciitis of odontogenic origin in a diabetic patient: a case report.

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a severe bacterial infection with rapid and aggressive progression. The infection generally affects individuals with comorbid conditions that lead to immunologic and microvascular deficiencies. It is characterized by necrosis of tissues, mainly in the extremities, trunk, and perineum, and is rarely found in the head and neck. This case report describes the course of NF in a 55-year-old man, highlighting diagnosis, surgical treatment, drug therapy, and supportive measures. The patient, who had chronic alcoholism, systemic arterial hypertension, a smoking habit, and decompensated diabetes (glucose level of 490 mg/dL), was admitted to the hospital with a volume increase in the cervical and thoracic areas with a duration of about 7 days. He presented with fever, dyspnea, and inflammatory signs bilaterally in the submandibular, submental, and superior thoracic regions as well as severe trismus. The patient underwent a surgical procedure to drain the infectious process and to place drains. The patient developed cutaneous necrosis in the cervical and superior thoracic regions, diagnosed as NF. Surgical debridement of all affected tissue was performed. After resolution of the infection, the patient underwent skin grafting with a satisfactory outcome.

Nasopalatine duct cyst mimicking an endodontic periapical lesion: a case report.

Lesions of nonendodontic origin, such as nasopalatine or globulomaxillary cysts, may mimic periapical radiolucencies associated with pulpal pathosis, and incorrect diagnosis may lead to unnecessary endodontic treatment. Horizontal root fractures most commonly affect the maxillary central and lateral incisors. Prognosis depends largely on the level of fracture; fractures in the apical third have the best prognosis, and those in the cervical third have the worst. This case report discusses surgical and restorative management of a patient who had a nasopalatine cyst that had been misdiagnosed and treated as an endodontic lesion of the maxillary right central incisor as well as a midroot horizontal fracture of the adjacent lateral incisor.

Revascularization Induced Maturogenesis of Non-Vital Immature Permanent Tooth Using Platelet-Rich-Fibrin: A Case Report.

The aim of this report is to describe a novel method of revascularization therapy done in a non-vital, immature permanent tooth using Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF),in a recently developed scaffold material to overcome limitations associated with the traditional method of revascularization using natural blood clot. PRF prepared from autologous blood was placed in the root canal and patient was followed up regularly at one, three, six, nine and 12 months for detailed clinical and radiographic evaluation. At 12 months, radiographic examination revealed root elongation, root end closure, continued thickening of the root dentinal walls, obliteration of root canal space, and normal periradicular anatomy. However, more long term prospective trials and histological studies are highly needed before to testify PRF a panacea for the regenerative endodontic therapy in children.

A Case Series: The Orthodontic Management of Central Incisors with Horizontal Root Fractures.

This case series illustrates the successful orthodontic management of previously root-fractured central incisors. Orthodontic treatment was carried out to correct the underlying malocclusion, remove traumatic occlusal forces and to provide a suitable occlusion for future restorative treatment should the root-fractured teeth be lost in the future. Clinical relevance: Dental trauma occurs commonly; having affected 10% of orthodontic patients. All practitioners should be able to discuss the possibility of orthodontic treatment with patients who have had previous trauma to their front teeth.

Surgical extrusion of multiple teeth with crown-root fractures: a case report with 18-months follow up.

The objective of this case report is to describe the treatment procedure involved in surgical extrusion of multiple crown-root fractures and review the critical factors to be considered for successful and predictable outcome. The treatment of complicated crown-root fracture in anterior teeth is likely to compromise function and aesthetics when approached with conventional surgical crown lengthening. Orthodontic extrusion has also been suggested; however, it is time-consuming, aesthetically compromising and hardly applicable on multiple anterior crown-root fractures due to the limited source of anchorage. To overcome the shortcomings of suggested treatment modalities, we performed atraumatic surgical extrusion of four anterior fractured teeth along with their rotation within the sockets. The teeth were gently luxated and extruded to the desired position, minimizing damage to the marginal alveolar bone and root surfaces without rigid splint. The treated teeth were functioning normally 18 months after the procedure, and the mobility and probing depths were within normal limits. Radiographs revealed functional periodontal ligament space along with lamina dura formation around the extruded roots. There was neither root resorption nor significant marginal bone loss. This technique might be a promising alternative to conventional crown lengthening, especially in the anterior zone to avoid functional or aesthetic complications.

Embedded tooth fragment masquerading as keloid for 11 months.

A foreign body retained in the skin can originate from numerous sources and most of the time these foreign bodies are removed without any sequelae. The present article reports a case of persistent swelling in the lower lip misdiagnosed as keloid, which later turned out to be an embedded tooth fragment identified post spontaneous extrusion after 11 months.

Failure Mechanisms of Fibre Posts: A Literature Review.

AIM: To review the available evidence for the causes of failure of fibre posts. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A search of MEDLINE was conducted to retrieve available data on fibre posts used for restoration of endodontically treated teeth since 1980. The Cochrane Library was also separately searched for systematic reviews. Additionally, references of the retrieved articles were also hand searched for further relevant papers. All the selected papers were then critically appraised subject to meeting inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Nineteen prospective clinical trials were included after critical appraisal of the papers. Causes of failure of fibre posts were identified as follows: adhesive failure, root fracture, post fracture, endodontic failure, secondary caries and periodontal complications. Risk factors for each of the failures were investigated and evidence-based recommendations for minimising these complications are discussed. CONCLUSION: Although laboratory studies showed favourable mechanical and physical properties of fibre posts, clinically, there has been a wide range of failures mechanisms are reported in the literature. Adhesive failure was reported in 16 of the 19 trials, making it the most frequent cause of failure. The available evidence does not indicate a difference in short-term survival probability between metal or fibre posts. A number of risk factors, which affect the longevity of fibre posts, were identified and discussed. Since there is considerable heterogeneity in study designs and reported survival rates of included studies, longer-term well-designed standardised clinical trails are required.