Rebuild Your Tooth With Post & Core
A post and core procedure is a dental restoration treatment that we sometimes perform after root canal therapy. When we have to move a significant portion of a tooth’s structure, a post & core helps to keep the crown in place. Crowns are placed on top of teeth to complete a restoration after a root canal, and they protect the tooth from further damage or infection. Post and core is a type of dental restoration we offer at HH Hancock III Endodontist in Raleigh, NC.
What Is Post & Core Treatment?
Performing endodontic treatment requires us to remove a portion of the tooth and the pulp-filled cavity in the center and the roots. This pulp contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. Without the pulp, there sometimes isn’t enough intact tooth left for it to continue functioning. A post & core keeps the eventual dental crown in place and reconstructs the missing parts of the teeth.
A simple way to think of it is that the post helps rebuild the tooth’s foundation or its core. We place the posts inside the root structure of the tooth where the dental pulp used to be to retain core buildup and support the crown.
Why After a Root Canal?
When we perform a post & core, we need the root canal to be empty of its original pulp, because that’s where the post will go. The roots of the tooth are cleaned and sealed during a root canal procedure.
Who Needs Post & Core?
Post & core is recommended when more than half of the tooth’s original structure is removed and the post is mechanically necessary to retain the crown and core. Post & core should not be performed if there is enough of the natural tooth left to support the crown on its own. When the tooth requires it, this procedure helps prevent extraction and replacement of the tooth.
Anterior (front) teeth are more likely to need post and core than posterior (back) teeth. This is because the back teeth have multiple roots and a large pulp chamber that can be used to retain the core and therefore the crown, while front teeth are smaller and less retentive.
Post and Core Versus Core Buildup
A similar procedure to post and core is core buildup, but there is no need for posts in this case. Core buildup is recommended for a tooth that has been partially broken due to fracture or decay and there isn’t enough tooth left to support the crown. In this procedure, we replace the missing portion of a tooth in order to place a crown.
How We Perform Post & Core Treatment
This procedure can be done two different ways: prefabricated or cast. A prefabricated post and core is a pre-made unit, sometimes constructed with multiple posts, while a cast post and core is a one-piece unit custom-made in a dental lab. We determine which type is best for each patient depending on the extent of the tooth’s damage or decay. A prefabricated one can usually be completed in one appointment, while a cast one takes two.
Could You Benefit From Post & Core?
If you’ve been referred to HH Hancock III Endodontist in Raleigh, NC by your general dentist for endodontic treatment, there’s a good chance it’s because your case is a complex one that is beyond the skill of a general dentist. If the affected tooth isn’t a molar, it may need post and core to support the crown. Call us at (919)781-9905 or send us an email to learn more. You could also check out our business page, and make sure to check the map for directions before you head our way.