Comparative evaluation of the effect of endodontic access and subsequent restorations on crown retention

Abstract

Studies suggest that endodontic access cavity (EAC) can decrease the retention of crowns. However, there is no clear evidence that restoring EAC effects on crown retention. Thus, the main objective of this narrative review is to assess several materials applied for restoring EAC to different crowns in anterior or posterior teeth, as well as the effect of each material on crown retention. An electronic search for studies published until December 31, 2021, was conducted using the four databases: Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Researchers selected in vitro studies that investigated the crown retention before and after resorting EAC of anterior or posterior teeth. Exclusively, in vitro studies were considered for assessment. Five papers were selected for the final analysis from the 126 identified during the initial search. Our outcomes illustrated that no significant differences in outcomes between the restorative materials after the endodontic treatment. The findings of this narrative review suggest that crown retention can increase after restoring endodontic access cavities. Finally, the available data indicated that restoring EAC could increase the crown retention more than the original crown. Nevertheless, the prefabricated crown resistance could be more affected by the type of restorative material used inside the EAC following endodontic treatment than retention. Additional clinical and radiological measures are needed.