Resistance of composite and amalgam core foundations retained with and without pins and bonding agents.

To compare the resistance of different amalgam and composite core foundations retained by pins, bonding agents, or both, 100 molars were mounted in acrylic resin and their occlusal surfaces were reduced to expose dentin. Pins were inserted at the four line angles of the teeth and matrices were placed. Bonding agents were applied according to the manufacturers' instructions. Amalgam was handcondensed and composite was incrementally added and photocured. Restorations were adjusted to produce specimens (n = 10) 5 mm in height with a 1 mm bevel at the axial-occlusal surface. After immersion in deionized water for 24 hours, specimens were loaded at a 45 degree angle on their beveled surfaces in a Universal Testing Machine at a crosshead speed of 0.02 in./minute. ANOVA and Tukey's tests indicated that FluoroCore 2 (with or without pins) was statistically stronger than all other combinations (p < 0.05).