Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the fracture resistance of endodontically treated anterior teeth restored with crowns made of composite or ceramic and retained without the use of a post (endocrowns) or with posts of 5 mm (short) and 10 mm in length (long).

Material and methods: Forty-eight intact maxillary incisors were selected for the study. After endodontic treatment, the crowns were sectioned 2 mm coronally to the cementoenamel junction provided with a ferrule of 2 mm. The roots were randomly divided into six groups (n = 8) according to the post length and type of coronary restoration. The crowns were fabricated with the chairside economical restoration of esthetic ceramics system. Group 1 was restored with a 10-mm glass fiber post, composite core, and a full-coverage ceramic crown (LPCer); group 2, with a 5-mm glass fiber post, composite core, and a full-coverage ceramic crown (SPCer); group 3, with a 10-mm glass fiber post, composite core, and a full-coverage composite crown (LPCpr); group 4, with a 5-mm glass fiber post, composite core, and a full-coverage composite crown (SPCpr); and groups 5 (EndoCer) and 6 (EndoCpr) were restored with ceramic and composite endocrowns, respectively. The teeth were then thermomechanically loaded in a chewing machine. After fatigue, the specimens were loaded to fracture. Data were analyzed with ANOVA and chi-square test. Mode of failure was defined as repairable or non-repairable.

Results: Presence of post, post length, and crown material had no significant effect on the fracture resistance. Groups restored with endocrowns presented a higher number of repairable fractures in respect to the other groups.

Conclusions: Presence of a post had no effect on the restorations' fracture strength.

Clinical relevance: Although this in vitro study has some limitations in respect to its clinical relevance, the restoration of largely destroyed anterior teeth with the use of an endocrown or a short glass fiber post might have advantages over a large glass fiber post.