When a tooth is broken by decay or fracture, sometimes there simply is not enough of the tooth remaining on which place a dental crown. This does not mean that the tooth has to be extracted. Houston cosmetic dentists at the Medical Center Dental Group can restore the tooth with a post and crown.
A post is placed inside of the tooth and then surrounded by a cosmetic dental filling material known as a core. The post will anchor the core to the teeth. This combination is much more sophisticated than a standard dental core. A dental core can be placed in any tooth, but a post and core, because it is more complex, can only be placed in a tooth that has undergone a root canal.
Generally speaking, the dentist will recommend a post and core if more than half of the tooth's crown portion has been destroyed. In this case, it will be necessary to anchor the core with a post. (At the same time, if the dentist discovers that more than fifty percent of the tooth's original crown still remains, he or she may opt for a standard dental core instead.)
The dental post is often made of stainless steel titanium that is biofriendly and will not cause infections in the mouth. Still, some people may not want something metal in one of their teeth, so a Houston cosmetic dentist can also opt to use a metal free carbon fiber post.
The first step in this procedure is the performance of a root canal on the tooth. The dentist must perform the root canal first in order
to eliminate infection and shape the tooth for placement of the post.
A special tool called a dental file is used to create a post space at the top of the root canal. This space follows a path in the filling material that was placed during root canal procedure. A post that is specifically sized to match this prepared space is then mounted in this space and cemented in place.
Upon securing the post in its new position, the dental core (made of cosmetic dental restorative material) will be placed over its top and around its sides. Both the natural toot structure and the post then work together to anchor this core material in place.
After the cosmetic dental material hardens, the dentist shapes it to receive and support a dental crown. Once that has been completed, the dentist takes an impression of the teeth so that the dental lab will be able to custom-manufacture a crown that will precisely fits the tooth.
The patient will need a temporary crown while we wait for the lab to finish making the permanent crown. This temporary will protect the tooth and keep it in alignment with other teeth. When the patient returns for the next appointment, the dentist removes the temporary crown and replaces it with a permanent crown.
The placement of a post and core brings several benefits to the patient.
-Support for remaining tooth structure
-A superior anchor for a crowned tooth that has undergone a root canal
-More reliable crown retention for many years to come
A post and core procedure is a great way to save a tooth that has severely damaged by fracture or decay.
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