After root canal therapy, patients sometimes require post and core treatment. This procedure provides a stable foundation for dental crowns so the restorations are more secure and durable. In some cases, your Lakewood dentist, Dr. Shaun Sigurdson or Dr. Mihir Patel, may recommend a core buildup with no need for a dental post. In either case, your practitioner will use very precise techniques, working to save your remaining healthy tooth structure.
When is post and core treatment necessary?
Post and core treatment is a follow-up to root canal therapy. Not every endodontic patient will require this procedure, however. Our dentists in Dallas typically perform post and core treatment when more than half of your tooth has been damaged or removed. In these cases, you may not have enough dental structure to support a tooth. Post and core treatment allows your dentist to save as much of your tooth as possible, avoiding the need for extraction.
What happens during post and core treatment?
During the procedure, Dr. Sigurdson or Dr. Patel will place a small post in the pulp of your tooth. Then he will build up the core of your tooth using dental composite. The post will uphold this new core, and the core will support your dental crown. With our local anesthesia, you will experience negligible discomfort.
In some instances, your Lakewood dentist may recommend a core buildup only. This may be necessary if you do not have enough dental tissue to support a crown, but you do have enough to support the core itself.
What are the advantages of post and core treatment?
Coupled with root canal therapy, post and core treatment is an extensive process. Nonetheless, these two treatments are still preferable to tooth extraction. Following tooth removal, you are subject to jawbone deterioration and resulting tooth loss. While dental implants prevent bone loss, they also require surgery, a more extensive procedure than post and core treatment.
When your dentist can save even a portion of your tooth and keep your dental roots intact, you have a much lower risk of a changing facial structure.
How long does post and core treatment last?
Results vary based on the size and location of your tooth, the type of post and core used, and the type of dental restoration you receive. Studies show that post and core treatment allows patients to retain their natural teeth for an average of 13-and-a-half years.
Is a core buildup the same as a dental filling?
Your dentist will use the same material to perform core buildup as he would to create a dental filling. However, the two procedures have different functions. Fillings repair damaged teeth and strengthen dental tissue. In contrast, a dental core gives added stability to a restorative crown.
Is a dental post the same as a dental implant?
Dental posts and dental implants are quite different. Dental posts go inside the tooth itself. Dental implants are only appropriate for patients who are missing their entire tooth. Implants go inside the jawbone and support a full custom-made dental prosthetic.
Save Your Tooth with Post and Core Treatment
To learn more about post and core treatment and our other endodontic procedures, schedule your appointment online. You can also call us directly at 214-827-1885.
