Evidence-based treatment planning for the restoration of endodontically treated single teeth: importance of coronal seal, post vs no post, and indirect vs direct restoration

Abstract

Every orthograde endodontic procedure requires restoration of the coronal (access) cavity. The specific type of treatment used in individual cases greatly depends on the amount and configuration of the residual coronal tooth structure. In practice there are Class I access cavities as well as coronally severely damaged, even decapitated, teeth and all conceivable manifestations in between. The latest attempts to review results from clinical trials to answer the question of whether post placement or crowning can be recommended for the restoration of endodontically treated teeth or not are inconclusive. For dental practitioners, this is not a satisfactory result. This appraisal evaluates available evidence and trends for coronal restoration of single endodontically treated teeth with a focus on clinical investigations, where available. It provides specific recommendations for their coronal restoration to assist clinicians in their decision making and treatment planning.

Keywords: coronal restoration; direct restoration; endodontically treated teeth (ETT); endodontics; fiber post; indirect restoration; seal.