What is a Post?

A post is a restoration placed inside a tooth, in the root-canal area (the pulp chamber and canals).  Root-canal treatment must be completed before the post, and a crown must be placed after the post.

It's purpose is to provide extra strength and structure to rebuild the tooth and provide a solid foundation for the crown to rest on.

Types of Posts

There are two main categories of posts:

1. Prefabricated posts

2. Custom cast posts

Prefabricated posts are pre-made, non-custom "screws" which are wedged into the canals, followed by a bulk of cement attached to the post to rebuild the pulp chamber.  As you can guess, this type of post is arguably inferior for several reasons:

• It exerts dangerous forces which may result in tooth fracture

• It is made of multiple parts of different materials that may break apart

• It may not provide an optimally sturdy foundation for crowns leading to loose crowns, leaky crowns, and destruction of the remaining tooth.

Unfortunately, prefabricated posts are used widely in dentistry due to their low cost.  Much of the dentistry performed in our office is done to repair the damage caused by these restorations.

Why Custom Cast Posts are Better:

• Custom cast posts are made individually to fit each unique tooth.

• They are cast as a single, uniform material, eliminating the risk of breakage at interfaces of different materials.

• Custom cast posts provide a solid foundation for crowns so that chewing forces don't bend or break posts.  This eliminates the risk of breaking crown seals due to the flexing of the buildup on prefabricated posts.

At Glendale Dental Arts, we strive for the best, even though custom cast posts are a bit more expensive.  In the long run, the damage prevented saves not only money, but the life of your teeth.