Flexural strength of resin core build-up materials: Correlation to root dentin shear bond strength and pull-out force

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of root dentin shear bond strength and pull-out force of resin core build-up materials on flexural strength immediately after setting, after one-day water storage, and after 20,000 thermocycles. Eight core build-up and three luting materials were investigated, using 10 specimens (n = 10) per subgroup. At three time periods—immediately after setting, after one-day water storage, and after 20,000 thermocycles, shear bond strengths to root dentin and pull-out forces were measured. Flexural strengths were measured using a 3-point bending test. For all core build-up and luting materials, the mean data of flexural strength, shear bond strength and pull-out force were the lowest immediately after setting. After one-day storage, almost all the materials yielded their highest results. A weak, but statistically significant, correlation was found between flexural strength and shear bond strength (r = 0.508, p = 0.0026, n = 33). As the pull-out force increased, the flexural strength of core build-up materials also increased (r = 0.398, p = 0.0218, n = 33). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using these three independent factors of flexural strength, pull-out force and root dentin shear bond strength, which showed this relationship: Flexural strength = 3.264 × Shear bond strength + 1.533 × Pull out force + 10.870, p = 0.002). For all the 11 core build-up and luting materials investigated immediately after setting, after one-day storage and after 20,000 thermocycles, their shear bond strengths to root dentin and pull-out forces were correlated to the flexural strength in core build-up materials. It was concluded that the flexural strength results of the core build-up material be used in research and quality control for the predictor of the shear bond strength to the root dentin and the retentive force of the post.