A dental post is recommended when a big part of the natural crown is missing and basically only the roots of the tooth remain, because in this case there is not enough natural tooth to form the abutment and support the all ceramic crown.
If the root canals of the tooth are in bad condition, the tooth probably has to be removed and an implant or a bridge is needed to replace the missing tooth. However, in many cases a dental post can be a perfect solution as the post provides support for the all ceramic crown.
In order to choose the best treatment, a panoramic x-ray is needed. Based on this, the dentist is able to determine the state of the root canals and whether the placement of a dental post is possible.
The prerequisite of the placement of a dental post is the devitalization of the tooth. The dentist places the dental post into the root canal, and – in case of a freshly devitalized tooth a couple of days later – takes an impression. The cast is sent to the laboratory where the all ceramic crown is prepared. The crown is fixed onto the post with a special dental cement.