Mechanical Properties and Clinical Success of Intracanal Posts in Primary Maxillary Anterior Teeth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Yamuna Shanmugam; Aksshaya Raghu; M S Muthu; Selvakumar Haridoss; Kavitha Swaminathan; Krishnapillai Chandrababu Vignesh; Sunil Babu Kotha

doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10005-2697

Mechanical Properties and Clinical Success of Intracanal Posts in Primary Maxillary Anterior Teeth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Int J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2023 Nov;16(Suppl 3):293-305. doi: 10.5005/jp-journals-10005-2697.

Authors

Yamuna Shanmugam¹, Aksshaya Raghu¹, M S Muthu², Selvakumar Haridoss¹, Kavitha Swaminathan¹, Krishnapillai Chandrababu Vignesh¹, Sunil Babu Kotha³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Sri Ramachandra Dental College and Hospital, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
² Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Centre for Early Childhood Caries Research (CECCRe), Sri Ramachandra Dental College and Hospital, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
³ Department of Preventive Dentistry, College of Medicine and Dentistry, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Sharad Pawar Dental College and Hospital, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be University), Wardha, Maharashtra, India.

Abstract

Background: Intracanal posts are commonly used to restore lost permanent/primary tooth structure and the smile of the patient.

Aim: This systematic review aims to evaluate the clinical success of intracanal posts used in primary maxillary anterior teeth and compare their mechanical properties.

Methods: An extensive literature search was performed using Medline via PubMed, Embase via embase.com, LILACS, CINAHL via EBSCO, Cochrane Oral Health Group Specialized Register, Scopus, and Web of Science until December 2021 and was updated till December 2022. In vivo and in vitro studies in the English language that assessed clinical success and mechanical properties were included. Distiller SR software was used for everything from title screening to data extraction.

Results: A total of 30 studies were analyzed, including 11 in vivo and 19 in vitro studies. Four studies were included in a meta-analysis, and all 30 studies qualified for qualitative analysis. The meta-analysis showed that fiber posts are clinically superior to composite resin posts (CRPs) (p = 0.02). No significant difference was observed between the fracture resistance of CRPs and no posts (p = 0.73). Most of the included studies showed a high risk of bias.

Conclusion: Conclusive evidence about the effectiveness of various intracanal posts cannot be established. This is due to the limited number of clinical trials and included studies of low to moderate quality with a high risk of bias. To validate the use of posts in primary maxillary anterior teeth, further research, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of higher quality, is required.

Clinical significance: The use of intracanal posts in primary teeth is a commonly used treatment modality among pediatric dentists. However, the quality of the evidence to support its use is low. This systematic review provides a comprehensive summary of the current literature and highlights the need for further research. Results were interpreted with caution, as the evidence supporting the use of intracanal posts in primary teeth is limited.

How to cite this article: Shanmugam Y, Raghu A, Muthu MS, et al. Mechanical Properties and Clinical Success of Intracanal Posts in Primary Maxillary Anterior Teeth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(S-3):S293-S305.

Keywords: Post and core technique; Primary teeth; Survival rate.

Publication types

Review