MATERIALS AND METHOD: Fifty human permanent single rooted and single canaled freshly extracted teeth were decoronated and sectioned apically to prepare the middle third of root sections of 5 mm length. The canals were prepared in a step-back manner. OrthoMTA was packed throughout the prepared canals. These root sections were incubated for one week and subsequently randomly allocated to five groups (n = 10) according to the OrthoMTA removal method: No treatment (NT); 5% glycolic acid + ultrasonics (5% GA+U); 10% glycolic acid + ultrasonics (10% GA+U); 10% citric acid + ultrasonics (10% CA+U); Distilled water + ultrasonics (DW+U). A 1 mm deep well was created within the coronal end of the set OrthoMTA. Wells were filled with each respective test solution and left for 5 min. Thereafter, further removal of OrthoMTA used a specific ultrasonic tip. Finally, the canals were flushed using 1 mL of the respective test solutions and activated with a Controlled Memory ultrasonic tip for two cycles of 20 s each followed by flushing with 1 mL of distilled water and paper point drying of the canals. Then, specimens were longitudinally split into two halves and examined under a scanning electron microscope (1000×) to assess the residual OrthoMTA and surface topography of root canal dentin. The Vickers surface microhardness of treated radicular dentin was measured using the HMV-2 microhardness tester.

RESULT: Data were analysed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test. Significant differences for residual OrthoMTA were observed between (10% GA+U) with (5% GA+U), (10% CA+U), (DW+U) and (NT) (p value < 0.01). In the context of microhardness, (5% GA+U) and (10% GA+U) showed statistically significant difference compared to (NT), (10% CA+U) and (DW+U) (p value < 0.01).

AIM: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of placement of compactable glass fibers in reinforcing the endodontically treated teeth in a novel conservative manner.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Research laboratory, in vitro study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five extracted maxillary premolars were procured. Fifteen teeth were left untreated (Group A) and the remaining teeth were endodontically treated followed by standardized mesio-occluso-distal preparation and randomly assigned to experimental groups (n = 15) as follows: (B) no restoration, (C) restoration with composite, (D) EverStick® POST followed by composite, and (E) vertical glass fibers within 3 mm of the coronal root canal space and buccopalatal flaring of the coronal fibers followed by composite. After conditioning and thermocycling, specimens were loaded under a universal testing machine to evaluate fracture resistance and fracture pattern of specimens.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Obtained scores were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance test for stress analysis, post hoc Tukey's test for intergroup comparison, and Chi-square test for analysis of favorable and unfavorable fracture.

RESULTS: The fracture resistance was highest to lowest as follows: Group A > E > C > D > B (P < 0.001).