Purpose: This study evaluated the load bearing capacity of anatomically designed canines restored with FRC posts and experimental short fiber composite resin (FC). The effect of using three different types of tooth preparation and woven net on the fracture load was also investigated. Further aim was to evaluate the failure mode of each restoration. Material and methods: 80 maxillary frasaco-canines were divided into 10 groups (n=8). The anatomic crowns were cut perpendicular at CEJ of the tooth. Group 1 was composed of teeth with flattened surface. Groups 2, 3 & 4 were prepared of teeth with 2 mm ferrule. In the third group, everStick Net was applied above the ferrule. Group 5 was composed of teeth with large box type preparation. The root canals were enlarged, sandblasted and then surface treated with Stick resin for 5 min. Two types of FRC root canal posts were used. The crowns were prepared either with composite resin or with FC. A static load until failure was applied to the crowns at a 45 degrees angle. Failure modes were visually examined. Results: ANOVA revealed that use of FRC-post and tooth preparation (p0.001). Chi-square test revealed that both, crown design and existence of FRC-post effected significantly fracture types (p<0.001). Conclusion: FC demonstrated similar load bearing capacity with restorations reinforced with FRC post. The presence of ferrule around the tooth increased the load bearing capacity significantly. Abbreviations: EET – endodontically treated teeth; FRC – fiber-reinforced composite; semi-IPN – semi-interpenetrating network; CEJ – cementoenamel junction; FC – experimental short fiber composite; SiC – silicon carbide abrasive paper; N – newton; FEM – finite element method.

Objective. To evaluate the static-load-bearing capacity of severely damaged endodontically-treated incisors restored with short fiber composite (SFC) as a direct post-core-crown complex and to investigate the effect of SFC on the failure mode of the restorations. Materials and methods. The clinical crowns of 40 maxillary incisors were prepared by cutting 2/3 parts of the crown horizontally. Five groups were fabricated (n = 8) using the direct technique; Group A: Crown restorations from conventional composite (CC); Group B: FRC-posts with core-crown restorations from CC; Group C: Crown restorations from SFC; Group D: FRC-posts and core-crown restorations from SFC; Group E: Post–core-crown restorations from SFC. The posts were cemented with dual-cure resin cement. The restorations were polymerized with a hand-light curing unit. All restored teeth were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 5 days before they were statically loaded. Initial fracture (IF) and final fracture (FF) were recorded. Failure modes were visually examined. Results. ANOVA revealed that SFC restorations had greater IF (469.8 N) and FF load values (515.8 N) (p < 0.05) than the CC restorations (164.8 N). No significant difference for both IF and FF was observed among groups C, D and E. Group E revealed a more favorable fracture mode than any other material combination used. Conclusion. The use of SFC as a restorative material for fabricating the direct composite post-core-crown restorations of severely damaged incisors provided improved load-bearing capacity than CC used alone or with FRC post reinforcement.