Influence of Different Post-endodontic Restorations on the Survival Rate Against Fracture of Endodontically Treated Anterior Teeth Affected by Cervical Lesions with Pulpal Involvement: A Retrospective Clinical Study.

Objective: To compare the survival rate against fracture of endodontically treated anterior teeth (ETT) affected by cervical (class V) lesions with pulpal involvement restored with resin composite or a post/core and crown, and to identify the prognostic factors for fracture.

Methods: Dental records and radiographs of ETT affected by cervical lesions with pulpal involvement restored with resin composite or a post/core and crown during a recall period from 2009-2022 were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The number of tooth fracture, the restorability after fracture and any possible risk factors were identified. The survival rate against ETT fracture were analyzed and com- pared between the two restoration groups by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the Tarone-Ware test. Non- proportional hazard models were used to identify the prognostic factors. The sub-analysis in each restoration group was also performed.

Results: The study comprised 175 ETT restored with resin composite (n=125) or a crown (n=50). With a mean recall period of 32.9+-15.8 months, the survival rate against ETT fracture with resin composite (85.6%) was not significantly different from those with a crown (88%) (p≥0.05). The most frequent mode of fracture was crown-root fracture, which accounted for 78% and 83.30% of the fractures in the resin composite and crown groups, respectively. A significant prognostic factor for ETT fracture affected by cervical lesions with pulpal involve- ment was additional tooth structure loss from a class III, class IV or another class V lesion on the opposite side (p<0.05). The ETT affected by cervical lesions with pulpal involvement combined with additional tooth structure loss had a 7.25-fold higher risk of fracture than those with single-surface affected by cervical lesions with pulpal involvement (hazard ratio [HR] = 7.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.68-31.30). The sub-analysis in the crown and resin composite groups revealed that the survival rates of ETT with single-surface affected by cervical lesions with pulpal involvement was 100% and 96.15%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of ETT with additional tooth loss at 80.65% and 78.08%, respectively (p<0.05).

Conclusion: With a mean 33-month recall period, the survival rate against ETT fracture affected by cervical lesions with pulpal involvement restored with resin composite or crown were not significantly different. Additional tooth structure loss was a significant prognostic factor for fracture.