Influence of post space irrigants on the retention of fiber posts luted with self-adhesive and adhesive dual-cure resin cements: An in vitro evaluation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Aim: To evaluate the effect of different post space irrigation protocols on the push-out bond strength of fiber posts cemented using self-adhesive and adhesive dual-cure resin cements. Methods: Thirty-six extracted single-rooted human maxillary central incisors were endodontically treated and decoronated. Post spaces were prepared, and specimens were randomly assigned to irrigating solutions: sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), HEBP (etidronic acid), and saline. Fiber posts were cemented using either a self-adhesive or an adhesive dual-cure resin cement. Specimens were sectioned and subjected to push-out bond strength testing using a universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s post hoc test, with the level of significance set at P < 0.05. Results: Both the irrigating solution and resin cement type significantly influenced bond strength ( P < 0.05), with no significant interaction ( P > 0.05). The HEBP group demonstrated higher bond strength (9.69 ± 0.38 MPa for self-adhesive cement and 7.95 ± 0.45 MPa for adhesive cement) compared with NaOCl (9.24 ± 0.33 MPa and 7.80 ± 0.71 MPa, respectively) and saline (6.31 ± 0.33 MPa and 6.01 ± 0.36 MPa). Self-adhesive cement demonstrated significantly higher bond strength than adhesive cement ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this in vitro study, post space irrigation protocols influenced the bond strength of fiber posts. HEBP irrigation demonstrated improved bonding performance compared with NaOCl and saline. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limited sample size and absence of long-term clinical simulation.