What is a Dental Post?

Davis crown (post, crown, dental cement, root)

Of the many diverse materials a dentist uses to improve your smile and your bite, one of the more common is the dental post.

How Does a Dental Post Work?

A dental post is a small, metal shaft implanted in a tooth. This is often the last option if the root of the tooth isn’t healthy enough to support a tooth or dental appliance.

When a tooth becomes decayed, chipped, or broken, the result can be intense pain. This is because the nerves inside the tooth become exposed or irritated. A root canal treatment can save the remains of a tooth. But the procedure includes drilling into the tooth to clean out the infected pulp. Your dentist will then seal the area off to protect it from further damage. The procedure can often be intensive and isn’t for everyone.

Root canal is a term for a dental operation, where dental pulp is cleaned out, the space disinfected and then filled.

A root canal can sometimes leave behind a missing or misshapen tooth. So a prosthodontist goes to work on a crown to complete and fortify the tooth.

But the remaining tooth must be structurally sound before creating and placing a cosmetic replacement. That’s where the dental post comes in.

• Your dentist painlessly places the dental post in the center of the tooth where the pulp used to be.
• With the post securely in place, the “build” of the crown can proceed. The laboratory makes the core material of the crown using composite resins, which give a convincingly natural appearance to the crown and help it blend with your other teeth.

Your dentist will advise you on whether your root canal requires a post. In some cases, if sufficient tooth remains after a root canal, the crown won’t need a post. 

When performed by an experienced professional, the post-and-crown treatment can save your tooth while improving your health and appearance.

The Dental Implant Alternative

Dental Implant Construction

For some patients, a dental post and crown may be just the answer for a tooth that’s been through root canal treatment.

But for others, the procedure has taken too much of the tooth to restore. In such cases, your dentist will recommend a dental implant (dental implants in one day may be an option). Unlike a post, a dental implant is a completely new, whole tooth that replaces the one lost to root canal treatment.

A titanium root is surgically implanted into the jawbone and allowed to heal. Once it integrates, the root becomes the anchor for a bridge, crown, or set of dentures that can look and feel just like the rest of your teeth.

Have Dr. Stone Place Your Dental Post

As an implant expert, John C. Stone, DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) has more than 30 years of experience in prosthodontics—also known as cosmetic dentistry.

Additionally, Dr. Stone not only performs successful cosmetic procedures, but he also teaches implant dentistry to other dentists at two local continuing dental education programs. Generations of family members trust Dr. Stone to replace or restore teeth and to provide ongoing dental care.

For a complimentary consultation on how cosmetic dentistry can enhance your smile and your health, contact us.