ANSWERS

What is a post and core?

A post and core is a two-part foundation built inside an endodontically treated tooth to support a crown when too little natural structure remains. The post anchors into the root canal space, and the core rebuilds the coronal stump the crown will seat over.

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THE FULL PICTURE

Why it works this way

The clinical definition

A post and core restores a tooth that has been root canal treated but has lost too much coronal structure to retain a crown on its own. The post is cemented into one of the prepared canals and acts as the retention element. The core is built up around the coronal portion of the post to recreate the prep geometry, so the lab has a stump to seat the crown over. The American Association of Endodontists notes that posts add no reinforcement to the root, they only retain the core, which is a distinction that drives material and design decisions in the lab.

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How long should a post be relative to the root?

The standard guideline is that the post should extend two-thirds the length of the root, while leaving at least 4 to 5mm of gutta-percha apical to the post tip to preserve the endodontic seal. Going shorter compromises retention; going longer risks perforation or seal disruption. On cases where root anatomy makes this trade-off tight, Dani Dental's technician will call the referring office before fabrication to confirm post length against the radiograph rather than guess from the prescription.

Fiber post or cast metal post: which should I prescribe?

For most single-rooted anterior and premolar teeth with adequate ferrule, fiber-reinforced composite posts are the modern default because their modulus of elasticity matches dentin more closely, lowering the risk of catastrophic root fracture. Cast metal posts remain appropriate for molars with divergent canals, badly compromised coronal structure, or cases where the final restoration will be a full metal or PFM crown. Dani Dental fabricates both and will recommend on the case planning call.

What is the turnaround time for a post and core at Dani Dental?

Post and core fabrication ships on a 5 to 7 business day turnaround from the day we receive the impression or intraoral scan file. For combined post-and-core plus crown cases scanned digitally, the full restorative package ships in 8 to 10 business days. Every case includes the assigned technician's direct line on the case slip, so timeline questions or design adjustments go straight to the bench rather than through a customer service queue.

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This answer is one piece of a larger workflow. The pillar page covers materials, turnaround, and how we build the case to your specification.

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