Frequently Asked Questions

1. What material is in a Post and Core? 

Posts are made of three types of materials:

1. Metal
2. Porcelain
3. A fibrous resin material

Cores are made of two types of materials:

1. A Tooth Colored “composite” filling material
2. A silver “amalgam” filling material

Alternatively, the post and core can be made of one solid piece of:

1. Porcelain
2. Gold alloy

2. What are the benefits of a Post and Core? 

A post and core holds a restoration on to a tooth which has too little remaining structure to retain the restoration itself. 

3. What are the risks of a Post and Core? 

Having a post and core involves some inherent risks both to the remaining tooth structure and to the post and core itself: 

• The root of the tooth may be perforated when placing the post, necessitating the extraction of the tooth
• Under stress, the post may torque the root of the tooth and cause it to fracture, necessitating the extraction of the tooth
• Under stress, the cement holding the post and core on to the tooth can fail causing the post and core to leak, loosen or fall out

4. What are the alternatives to having a Post and Core? 

The alternative to having a post and core is to have the tooth extracted and replaced with:

• A dental implant
• A bridge
• A partial denture 

5. How can an existing bite affect a Post and Core? 

Excessive biting forces or untreated bite problems may lead to:

• The post and core breaking, loosening or leaking
• The tooth in which the post and core has been placed breaking

6. Are there any post-treatment restrictions once I have a Post and Core? 

A post and core may break, loosen or cause the tooth to break if chewing very hard or sticky foods.