Post and Core
A post and core is the post placed in the root canal of a tooth after root canal treatment, together with the core built on top of it to support the crown. When little tooth wall is left because of decay or a fracture, it gives the crown a structure to hold onto.
When it's needed
Root canal treatment hollows out the inside of the tooth, and if the original cavity was large, the remaining wall is even thinner. When the remaining tooth structure alone can't support a crown, a post borrows strength from the root. Conversely, if enough wall remains, a core alone without a post is gentler on the root — a post is used only when it's needed.
Q. Does a post make a tooth stronger?
A. A post is less about strengthening the tooth and more about creating a place for the crown to attach. If a thick post is forced into a thin root, it can actually increase the risk of root fracture, so the design has to match the root's thickness.
Q. What if a tooth with a post starts to hurt?
A. If root canal retreatment is needed but the post is hard to remove, we consider the alternative of approaching from the root tip with an Apicoectomy. Having a post isn't in itself a reason for extraction.
Minish