Comparison of carbon fiber and stainless steel root canal posts.

This in vitro study compared physical properties of root canal posts made of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resin with those of stainless steel posts. Three-point bending tests were used to derive the transverse modulus of elasticity of the posts. Resin composite cores on the posts were subjected to tensile forces to test the bonds between the cores and posts. Carbon fiber posts appeared to have adequate rigidity for their designed purpose. The bond strength of the resin composite cores to the carbon fiber posts was significantly less than that to the stainless steel posts.