The influence of operator variability on adhesive cementation of fiber posts

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the operator's experience on the outcome of fiber post cementation using an etch-and-rinse acetone-based adhesive. Materials and Methods: Fifteen human anterior teeth were used in the study. One trained operator performed the endodontic procedures and prepared the roots for the insertion and cementation of the posts. At this point, teeth were divided into 3 groups and distributed to 3 operators to lute the posts: an expert operator (EO), a moderately experienced operator (ME), and an operator with a low level of experience (LE). Quartz fiber posts (DT Light Post #1 or #2, RTD) were used. Posts were cemented using Prime&Bond NT Dual Cure adhesive system (Dentsply Caulk) in combination with the dual-curing resin cement Calibra (Dentsply Caulk). The post retention was assessed with the "thin-slice" push-out test. One-way ANOVA was performed to examine the effect of the operator on push-out strength, followed by post-hoc multiple comparisons using Tukey's test, with the significance level set at α = 95%. Results: The results of push-out strength testing were as follows: EO (12.44 ± 3.63 MPa), ME (11.68 ± 2.64 MPa), LE (11.18 ± 3.12 MPa). No statistically significant differences were determined among the three groups. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference in the retention measured for fiber posts luted by operators with different levels of clinical experience. Given the parameters of this investigation, the level of operator experience in luting fiber posts does not affect post retention under laboratory conditions.