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A Clinical Review
of Endodontic Posts
A Peer-Reviewed Publication
Written by Ian Shuman, DDS, MAGD, AFAAID

Abstract Educational Objectives Author Profile

A post is a rigid restorative device placed The focus of this clinical study will Ian Shuman DDS, MAGD, AFAAID maintains a full-time general,
in the radicular portion of non-vital teeth. provide the dental professional reconstructive, and aesthetic dental practice in Pasadena, Maryland. Since
During the restoration of an endodontically with the steps needed to place an 1995 Dr. Shuman has lectured and published on advanced, minimally invasive
treated tooth, a post may be required. Its endodontic post. techniques. He has taught these procedures to thousands of dentists and
success depends on the quality of endodontic After reading this article, the reader developed many of the methods. Dr. Shuman has published numerous articles
treatment, shape of the canals, status of the should be able to: on topics including adhesive resin dentistry, minimally invasive restorative,
remaining tooth structure, and the periodontal 1. Understand the concept of an cosmetic and implant dentistry. He is a Master of the Academy of General
support available. This course will review endodontic post Dentistry, an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry,
current research regarding the use of posts, 2. Identify the clinical situations where a Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Dr. Shuman was named one of the
and demonstrate various clinical scenarios a post is needed Top Clinicians in Continuing Education since 2005, by Dentistry Today.
and steps needed to provide this restorative 3. Know the latest materials needed for
treatment. this treatment Author Disclosure
4. Follow the steps required to clinically Ian Shuman DDS, MAGD, AFAAID has no commercial ties with the sponsors
place a post or the providers of the unrestricted educational grant for this course
INSTANT EXAM CODE 15142
Go Green, Go Online to take your course
Publication date: Oct. 2016 Supplement to PennWell Publications
Expiration date: Sept. 2019
This educational activity has been made possible through an unrestricted grant from Ultradent.
This course was written for dentists, dental hygienists and assistants, from novice to skilled.
Educational Methods: This course is a self-instructional journal and web activity.
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Requirements for Successful Completion: To obtain 3 CE credits for this educational activity you must pay the required
fee, review the material, complete the course evaluation and obtain a score of at least 70%.
CE Planner Disclosure: Heather Hodges, CE Coordinator does not have a leadership or commercial interest with products
PennWell designates this activity for 3 continuing educational credits. or services discussed in this educational activity. Heather can be reached at [email protected]
Educational Disclaimer: Completing a single continuing education course does not provide enough information to result
Dental Board of California: Provider 4527, course registration number CA# 03-4527-15142 in the participant being an expert in the field related to the course topic. It is a combination of many educational courses
“This course meets the Dental Board of California’s requirements for 3 units of continuing education.” and clinical experience that allows the participant to develop skills and expertise.
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Scientific Integrity Statement: Information shared in this CE course is developed from clinical research and represents
the most current information available from evidence based dentistry.
Academy of General Dentistry. The formal continuing dental education programs of this Known Benefits and Limitations of the Data: The information presented in this educational activity is derived from the
program provider are accepted by the AGD for Fellowship, Mastership and membership data and information contained in reference section. The research data is extensive and provides direct benefit to the patient
maintenance credit. Approval does not imply acceptance by a state or provincial board of and improvements in oral health.
dentistry or AGD endorsement. The current term of approval extends from (11/1/2015) to Registration: The cost of this CE course is $59.00 for 3 CE credits.
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contacting PennWell in writing.
Educational Objectives tic modulus that equals dentin and be non-corrosive. The post
This clinical self-study course teaches a dental professional how should also be easy to fit and adjust, radiopaque, allow easy re-
to place an endodontic post. moval and the post body and head should be highly retentive.5
After studying this course, the dental professional should be
able to: Figure 1:
1. Understand the concept of an endodontic post
2. Identify the clinical situations where a post is needed Post: Fundamental rules
A post must …
3. Know the latest materials needed for this treatment
4. Follow the steps required to clinically place a post Be as Have Achieve a
long as the parallel sides/maximum precision fit in
Abstract crown. convergence of 3-5 o. the canal.
A post is a rigid restorative device placed in the radicular portion
of non-vital teeth. During the restoration of an endodontically
treated tooth, a post may be required. Its success depends on
the quality of endodontic treatment, shape of the canals, status
of the remaining tooth structure, and the periodontal support
available. This course will review current research regarding
the use of posts, and demonstrate various clinical scenarios and
steps needed to provide this restorative treatment.

Introduction
After endodontic therapy, a tooth will require a restoration. Classification of Posts
These clinical situations include the restoration of root canal The selection of a post is multifaceted and is based on a variety
access openings, the buildup of lost tooth structure in direct of classifications including mode of fabrication, surface type
restorations with deep preparations, and the replacement of in- and material composition.
sufficient tooth structure to support a fixed restoration, among 1. Posts can be custom-made or prefabricated.
others. In some of these instances, if a tooth lacks the structure 2. Prefabricated posts can be further grouped based on shape:
to support a core, a post may be required. a. Tapered or parallel.
Therefore, the primary purpose of a post is to retain a core b. Smooth, serrated, or threaded.
that in turn will support a final restoration.Contrary to some A post bearing a smooth surface offers the least retention,
beliefs, posts do not reinforce endodontically treated teeth, and while a serrated surface is preferable as it provides
a post is not necessary when there is enough tooth structure mechanical undercuts for cement. A threaded surface,
present to support the final restoration. while being the most retentive, creates the most significant
According to Stockton,as a rule, there are two indications stress of the three.
for post placement and both must be present to justify its use: 3. Posts are also classified based on material type as metallic
the remaining coronal tooth structure is inadequate for reten- and non-metal. Metallic posts can be made from a wide
tion of the restoration and there is sufficient root length to ac- variety of materials including precious, semi-precious and
commodate the post while maintaining an adequate apical seal. base metals. In the presence of microleakage, corrosion
can be a negative factor with base metals, often due to the
Discussion presence of zinc and copper, whereas titanium posts show
Changes following root canal therapy include loss of tooth the greatest corrosion resistance.6
structure, absence of pulp, a decrease in moisture content, Non-metallic posts can be manufactured from zirconium
strength, and dentin toughness, as well as altered collagen fiber oxide, ceramic, and fibers containing carbon, glass and
alignment. Therefore, prior to post placement, it is critical to quartz.
perform a pretreatment evaluation to determine the health of
the tooth. Provided the endodontic/periodontal condition is Post Space Preparation: When and How
healthy and the tooth is restorable, the restoration may proceed. When preparing a post space, there are physical materials that
require removal including gutta percha, canal sealer, dentin as
Characteristics of an Ideal Post well as chemicals including eugenol and calcium hydroxide
A post must be as long as the crown (post/crown ratio),3 have among others. One concern among practitioners is how soon
parallel sides with a maximum convergence of 3-5°4,and gutta percha can be removed after obturation. Based on the
achieve a precision fit in the canal. (Figure 01) A post should premise that the canals have been adequately obturated, gutta
require minimal preparation, have resistance to fatigue, an elas- percha can be safely removed immediately after condensation.

2 www.DentalAcademyofCE.com
According to Bourgeois and Lemon, there is no difference be- Figure 2:
tween immediate removal or removal after one week.7 In a dye
ink penetration study by Zmener, there was no difference found Regardless of the Methods Used for Contaminant Removal,
Dentin Changes Along the Length of the Root Canal…
between removing gutta percha 5 minutes after obturation or
48 hours after obturation.8 Dickey, et al. determined that there …the nature of the collagen changes in size, quality and configuration.
was no significant difference between immediate gutta percha
removal or removal after waiting 24 hours. 9 cervical third
In addition, according to studies, there is a general consensus that
4-5mm of gutta percha must remain for a proper apical seal.A study
by Portell and Bernier tested leakage around 3, 5, and 7mm of re-
maining apical gutta percha.10 Leakage was found when only 3mm of middle third
gutta percha remained.10 Nixon et al compared leakage around 3, 4, Bondability
5, 6, and 7mm of remaining apical gutta percha by “dye ink penetra- decreases as
tion test and found the greatest leakage at 3mm and the least at 6mm you
or greater”.11 Kist and Reit found a “higher percentage of periapical get deeper
into the apical third
radiolucencies when 3mm (or less) of gutta percha remained”.12 canal.
There are several methods for removing gutta percha including
chemical solvents such as xylol, chloroform, and eucalyptol, me-
chanical removal with rotary instruments such as Gates Glidden
and Peeso reamers, and thermal removal using hot pluggers or a
A Newly Prepared Solution for the Removal of the Smear Layer Nawfal
combination of these. However, the goal of any removal technique A. A. Zakarea NAA et al. International Journal of Dental Sciences and
is thorough gutta percha removal without disturbing the apical Research, 2014, Vol. 2, No. 1, 19-26
seal. Since only the upper and middle third of obturation material
occupying the canal space need be removed, mechanical removal is Root Fracture and Post Fracture
recommended and has been proven in multiple studies. A study by Root fracture may be due to post placement under the above-
Mounce suggests that “gutta percha be removed without solvents mentioned contraindications or because of incorrect post
in the coronal two-thirds of canals as much as possible and with sol- selection, improper post space preparation, and/or poor ce-
vents in the apical third”.13 Mattison et al. “recommended that the mentation techniques. When a post is not properly cemented,
mechanical method is the most desirable for gutta percha removal occlusal forces can cause micro-movements of the post that lead
during post space preparation.”14 to disintegration of cement, a concentration of stresses at the
Another issue is the poor resin bonds caused by eugenol. Eu- root apex and root fracture. Another cause of post stress leading
genol affects bonding of resinous material to tooth structure by to root fracture is a shorter than required post length. Sugaya et
inhibiting the free radicals necessary in linking monomer molecules al. found that the number of cases of root fracture “originating
to form resin polymers.15,16,17 With eugenol-based root canal sealers in the apical region decreased with an increase in post length”.21
significantly reducing the bond strength of posts luted with resin Post diameter is also responsible for root fractures. Post
cement,several methods have been suggested that remove eugenol diameter is dictated by root canal anatomy and a minimal den-
in a safe, efficacious manner. These include the use of EDTA, tin thickness of 1mm around the post should be provided,22
sodium hypochlorite, and alcohol, with alcohol being perhaps the with post diameters being no greater than one-third of the root
most effective.19 diameter. Studies of post diameters have found that as the post
One additional issue is the decreasing ability to achieve high diameter increases, retention does not increase significantly.23,24
bond strengths as the canal space deepens.This is because the na- In another study, Standlee and Kurerreported “there were no
ture of the dentin’s collagen structure changes in size, quality and significant retention changes with variations in diameter”25.
configuration.20 (figure 02) However, they did find that as the diameter of the post increases,
there is an increase in stresses on the tooth and a decrease in the
Contraindications for Post Placement tooth’s resistance to fracture. In these studies, large diameter
There are several unfavorable conditions that may preclude post posts showed the highest rate of root fracture. Yet, it is possible
placement. These include severe root curvature, perforated roots, that post design, shape and surface types have the greatest influ-
and poor crown-root ratio. In addition, signs and symptoms ence over this problem.
that prohibit post placement in endodontically treated teeth are
sensitivity, inflammation, exudate, and a poor apical seal among Post Design:
others. By placing a post under any of these conditions, there is In regard to design, “threaded posts have been found to cause
an increased likelihood that an operative case will fail and that the the highest strain and incidence of root fracture”.26In fact, this
long-term health of the tooth will be poor. and other studies have shown that threaded posts with a taper

www.DentalAcademyofCE.com 3
increase root fracture by 20 times that of parallel threaded Figure 3:
posts. Tapered cemented posts and parallel non-threaded posts
are responsible for the least number of root fractures.27 So where does a parallel/tapered, serrated, quartz fiber, color
changing post fit in?
Post Shape:
While a tapered post requires less removal of tooth structure, It is in a unique
category, satisfying
it behaves like a wedge. Exertion of lateral forces can result in all of the qualities
vertical root fracture. And while a parallel shaped post requires and characteristics
removal of more tooth structure (than a tapered post), it is more needed in a 21st
retentive and decreases force distribution. According to Ya- century post.
mamoto et al, tapered posts produced the greatest stress at the PARALLEL Serration
coronal shoulder and parallel posts generate their greatest stress free
at the apex of the canal preparation.28 In a study by Johnson and at middle
Sakamura,“parallel posts resisted tensile, shear and torqueing only
forces better than tapered posts and distributed stress more
uniformly along their length during function”. 29

Post Material: TAPERED

For today’s practitioner, the ability to replace a fractured post is
an easy choice when faced with the alternative of a non-restor-
able root fracture. According to Kivanç et al. “endodontically
treated anterior teeth restored with glass fiber posts exhibited
higher failure loads than teeth restored with zirconia and tita-
nium posts.27 Self-etching adhesives are better alternatives to Figure 4: Volumetric Shrinkage
etch-and-rinse adhesive systems for luting post systems”.
This idea that fiber posts are a reliable fail-safe method has been
substantiated in the literature. Garbin et al. found that in regard to
root stress distribution, metal posts were less favorable than glass
fiber posts.30 Silvafound that “fiber posts show more homogeneous
stress distribution than metallic posts.The post material seemed
to be more relevant for the stress distribution in endodontically FiberCone post reduces the
treated teeth than the posts’ external configuration”.31 Based on re- amount of the cement/core
search by Akayyan and Gülmez“significantly higher failure loads material, thereby reducing
were recorded for root canal treated teeth restored with quartz fiber volumetric shrinkage
posts. Fractures that would allow repeated repair were observed in and microleakage, which
teeth restored with quartz fiber and glass fiber posts”.32 is one of the main causes of
endodontic failure.
The ideal post
As mentioned, an ideal post is comprised of many components in
the form of materials and engineering features. While there is no ab-
solute agreement in the world’s dental community on the ideal, there
are certain rules that may be followed to provide a best-case sce-
nario. The design should be one that is of the parallel non-threaded
nature. It should also be both tapered and parallel at strategic points To reduce the incidence of this problem, accessory posts
along its body. (figure 03) Finally, glass fiber offers a material that is have been developed that reduces volumetric resin shrinkage
both strong and kind to the root. This is all true in a concentric canal by reducing the overall volume of composite in both the canal
space where volumetric shrinkage is kept to a minimum. (figure 04) space and the core itself. (figure 05) This reduces the amount
However, there are many canal space configurations that do not of the cement/core material, thereby reducing volumetric
conform to the perfect round shape. Studies such as those by Mar- shrinkage and microleakage, which is one of the main causes
telli et al. have shown that a single post in a non-concentric canal of endodontic failure. Designed for use with a “master” post,
will have a larger amount of cement/core material.33 Once set, this these accessory or auxiliary posts are placed like auxiliary gutta
large amount of cement undergoes volumetric shrinkage and micro- percha cones that ride along the master cone. Adding auxiliary
leakage, which is one of the main causes of endodontic failure. posts allows much better adaptation in the case of flared and

4 www.DentalAcademyofCE.com
oval canals.34 It is important to note that these posts do not re- the best choice for core buildup material. The reasons for the
quire additional drilling. Because of their small size, accessory advantages of composite are its high compressive strength, ease
posts can also be used in auxiliary canals to increase retention of manipulation, rapid polymerization, and ability to bond to
and anti-rotational security. Ideally, these posts should be dentin. There are disadvantages as well including polymeriza-
macro-retentive in the coronal half, and tapered in the apical tion shrinkage and poor dimensional stability, however these
half. Inserting these tapers into the resin (with gentle finger disadvantages have been eliminated with the use of hybrid and
pressure) before resin polymerization creates mild directional universal nano-composite flowables. Hybrid composite ap-
movement of the resin towards the sides of the post prep.This pears to be one of the best materials for a core buildup. In a
improves adaptation, reduces the amount of composite resin, study by Burke, et al. prepared core buildups using a “hybrid
and reduces the risk of gap formation during polymerization. composite material provided the highest fracture resistance”. 37
While posts and cores are a vital part of certain restorative In addition to correct material selection, the core prepa-
cases, core restorations are indicated if either of the following ration has two primary requirements: cuspal coverage and
clinical conditions exists: ferrule. Simply stated, cusp coverage and the ferrule are both
1. The replacement of missing coronal tooth structure is required to prevent fracture. Cusp coverage is achieved by
necessary. virtue of crown or onlay fabrication and design. At it’s most
2. The “enhanced retention and resistance to displacement of basic, a ferrule is a band that prevents the end of an object from
the final restoration is necessary”.35 splitting. (figure 06)
Whichever reason is suitable, attention must be paid not
only to the type of post, but the direct core material as well. Figure 6:

Figure 5: FIBERCONE accessory posts: physical properties

Inserting these tapers into the

resin (with gentle finger pressure)
before resin polymerization cre-
ates mild directional movement of
the resin towards the sides of the
post prep.

This improves adaptation,

reduces the amount of composite Importance of the ferrule:
resin, and reduces the risk of gap The ferrule provides bracing or a casing action to protect the
formation during polymerization. integrity of the root. Crowns whose margins encompass a ferrule
alter the distribution of forces. These restorations have a subgin-
gival collar, that acts vis-a-vis a ‘hugging” action and prevents
vertical fracture of the tooth. To be effective, the margin must
encompass at least 1.5-2.0mm of tooth structure. A study by So-
Mechanical Properties of Direct Core build-Up rensen and Engelman“evaluated the fracture resistance of pulp-
Materials: less teeth with various ferrule designs and amounts of coronal
A study by Combe et al.“measured the mechanical properties tooth structure. The results demonstrated that one millimeter
of materials used for direct core build-ups, including a high of coronal tooth structure above the crown margin substantially
copper amalgam, a silver cement, a VLC resin composite and increased the fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth.
two composites specifically developed for this application. "38
Because root fracture is one of the most serious complications
Compressive strength, elastic modulus, diametral tensile following restoration of endodontically treated teeth, it is worth
strength and flexural strength and modulus were measured for evaluating the effect of a crown ferrule on the fracture resistance
each material as a function of time up to 3 months. of endodontically treated teeth restored with prefabricated posts.
The results showed failure in terms of flexural strength for In a study by Pereira, a comparison was made “of the fracture
the amalgam after one hour and the silver cement at all time strengths using posts and cores and variable quantities of coronal
intervals.”36 Based on the evidence, composite appeared to be dentin located apical to core foundations with corresponding fer-

www.DentalAcademyofCE.com 5
rule designs incorporated into cast restorations”. 39 It was found After light curing, a core buildup was made with Core Paste
that “an increased amount of coronal dentin significantly in- XP (DenMat) in a universal dentin shade. After complete dual
creased the fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth”.39 curing, a full coverage crown preparation was created with
adequate ferrule to prevent future fracture and a provisional
Post and Core: Case Report placed during lab crown fabrication. (figure 10) In addition,
A 72-year-old male patient presented for treatment of an upper should the need arise for post retrieval and canal re-entry, the
right second premolar. The tooth had been restored with a full post can be located using a spray of cool water. (figure 11)
coverage crown. The patient presented with the crown in hand.
Exam revealed that the crown had failed due to primary caries Figure 10:
and subsequent, secondary fracture. (figure 07) The tooth was
restorable, but due to the invasive nature of the caries, endodontic
treatment was performed. This was followed by post and core.
Gutta percha, and root canal sealer was removed, leaving 6mm
of gutta percha at the most apical aspect of the root. A post space
was prepared and eugenol residue removed by scrubbing the post
retaining walls with ethyl alcohol. This was then rinsed, dried, and
the canal etched with 35% phosphoric acid, and this was rinsed and
dried. A dual cure bonding agent was applied to the post retaining
walls, and excess wicked with drying points.

Figure 7:
Figure 11: Color change technology when the temperature is colder
than 22 0 C / 71.6 0 F

The intra-radicular site was gently air-dried, and light cured,

followed by the cementation of a MACRO-LOCK® ILLU-
SION™ X-RO® (Clinician’s Choice) with two FIBERCONE
accessory fiber posts using BISTITE® II DC, a self-etching,
dual-cured adhesive resin cement system with excellent handling Conclusion
and adhesive properties. (Tokuyama Dental). (figures 08, 09) It has been demonstrated that when there is a need for a post
and core, and the correct procedures are followed, a tooth that
Figure 8 & 9: is compromised from a restorative aspect can expect a good
prognosis. In addition, various rules and best practices should
be followed as they pertain to current research and clinical
findings. This will insure a healthy outcome for teeth needing
additional structure.

References
1. W. Cheung. “A review of the management of endodontically
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2. Stockton LW. Factors affecting retention of post systems: a
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4. Schmagea P, Ozcan M, McMullan-Vogelc C,Nergiza I. The fit
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8. Zmener O. Effect of dowel preparation on the apical seal of Contemp Dent Pract. 2008 Nov 1;9(7):33-40 .
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dowel space preparation on the integrity of the apical seal. J on stress distribution in maxillary central incisor: Finite element
Endod 1982;8: 154-60 analysis. Indian J Dent Res. 2009 Apr-Jun;20(2):153-8
11. Nixon C, Vertucci FJ, Swindle R. The effect of post space 33. Akkayan B, Gülmez T. Resistance to fracture of endodontically
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Todays FDA. 1991;3:1-6C Dent. 2002 Apr;87(4):431-7.
12. Kvist T and Reit C. Results of endodontic retreatment: a 34. Martelli H Jr, Pellizzer EP, Rosa BT, Lopes MB, Gonini A Jr.
randomized clinical study comparing surgical and nonsurgical Fracture resistance of structurally compromised root filled
procedures. J.Endod 1999;25:814-7. bovine teeth restored with accessory glass fibre posts. Int Endod
13. Mounce R. Current concepts in gutta-percha removal J. 2008 Aug;41(8):685-92.
in endodontic retreatment. N Y State Dent J. 2004 Aug- 35. Farahnaz S et al. Fracture resistance of structurally compromised
Sep;70(7):32-5. premolar roots restored with single and accessory glass or quartz
14. Mattison GD, Delivanis PD, Thacker RW Jr, Hassell KJ.Effect fiber posts. Dent Res J. 2014 Mar-Apr; 11(2): 264–271.
of post preparation on the apical seal. J Prosthet Dent. 1984 36. Fundamentals of Fixed Prosthodontics 3rd edition, Herbert T.
Jun;51(6):785-9. Shillinburg, p. 367
15. Reem A, Al-Mutairi S, Ghandoura S. Effect of Eugenol on Bond 37. Combe EC, Shaglouf AM, Watts DC, Wilson NH. Mechanical
Strength of Adhesive Resin: A Systematic Review OHDM - Vol. properties of direct core build-up materials. Dent Mater. 1999
13 - No. 4 December, 2014 May;15(3):158-65.
16. Bowen RL, Argentar H. A stabilizing comonomer. II. 38. Fracture resistance of five pin-retained core build-up materials
Stabilization and polymerization characteristics. Journal of on teeth with and without extracoronal preparation. Burke FJ, et
Dental Research. 1972; 51: 1614-1618. al. Oper Dent. 2000 Sep-Oct;25(5):388-94
17. Fujisawa S, Kadoma Y. Action of eugenol as a retarder against 39. Sorensen JA, Engelman MJ.Ferrule design and fracture
polymerization of methyl methacrylate by benzoyl peroxide. resistance of endodontically treated teeth. J Prosthet Dent. 1990
Biomaterials. 1997; 18: 701-703. May;63(5):529-36.
18. Mosharraf, Z. Effect of the type of endodontic sealer on the 40. Pereira JR. Effect of a crown ferrule on the fracture resistance of
bond strength between fiber post and root wall. J Dent. 2014 endodontically treated teeth restored with prefabricated posts. J
Jul;11(4):455-63 Prosthet Dent. 2006 Jan;95(1):50-4.
19. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society. San Myint, et al.
October 1995, Volume 72, Issue 10, pp 1231-1233
20. Nawfal A. A. Zakarea NAA et al.A Newly Prepared Solution for Author Profile
the Removal of the Smear Layer. International Journal of Dental Ian Shuman DDS, MAGD, AFAAID maintains a full-
Sciences and Research, 2014, Vol. 2, No. 1, 19-26
21. Sugaya T. et al. Comparison of fracture sites and post lengths in time general, reconstructive, and aesthetic dental practice in
longitudinal root fractures. Endod. 2015 Feb;41(2):159-63. Pasadena, Maryland. Since 1995 Dr. Shuman has lectured
22. Lloyd PM, Palik JF. The philosophies of dowel diameter and published on advanced, minimally invasive techniques.
preparation: a literature review. J Prosthet Dent. 1993 He has taught these procedures to thousands of dentists and
23. Guzy GE, Nicholls JI. In vitro comparison of intact developed many of the methods. Dr. Shuman has published
endodontically treat- ed teeth with and without endo-post
reinforcement. J Prosthet Dent 1979;42:39-44. numerous articles on topics including adhesive resin dentistry,
24. Trabert KC, Caputo AA, Abou-Rass M. Tooth fracture — a minimally invasive restorative, cosmetic and implant den-
comparison of endodontic and restorative treatments. J Endod tistry. He is a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, an
1978;4:341-5. Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Den-
25. Standlee JP, Caputo AA, Collard EW, Pollack MH. Analysis of
tistry, a Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Dr. Shuman
stress distribution by endodontic posts. Oral Surg Oral Med
Oral Pathol. 1972;33:952–60. was named one of the Top Clinicians in Continuing Education
26. Khasnis SA, Kidiyoor KH, Patil AB, Kenganal SB. Vertical root since 2005, by Dentistry Today.
fractures and their management. J Conserv Dent. 2014 Mar-Apr;
17(2): 103–110. Author Disclosure
27. Fuss Z, Lustig J, Katz A, Tamse A. An evaluation of
endodontically treated vertical root fractured teeth: impact of Ian Shuman DDS, MAGD, AFAAID has no commercial ties
operative procedures. J Endod. 2001 Jan; 27(1):46-8. with the sponsors or the providers of the unrestricted educa-
28. Yamamoto ET. et al. Finite element analysis and fracture tional grant for this course

www.DentalAcademyofCE.com 7
Online Completion INSTANT EXAM CODE 15142
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Questions

1. A post is a rigid restorative device 9. Eugenol can be removed in a safe, a. zirconium

placed in what portion of non-vital efficacious manner using: b. metal
a. alcohol c. acrylic
teeth:
b. lye d. none of the above
a. coronal
b. cementum c. ammonia 17. According to Akayyan and Gülmez,
c. radicular d. hydrochloric acid
significantly higher failure loads were
d. a and b 10. The signs and symptoms that are un- recorded for teeth restored with fiber
2. The success of a post depends on all favorable for post placement include: posts made from:
a. a poor apical seal
but which one of the following: b. a,c, and d
a. carbon
a. shape of the canals b. chromium
c. inflammation
b. number of canals d. exudate c. quartz
c. quality of endodontic treatment d. carbon-chromium
d. status of the remaining tooth structure 11. Incorrect post selection, improper
18. A tapered post requires less removal
3. The primary purpose of a post is: post space preparation, and poor
cementation techniques can all be of tooth structure but it acts like a:
a. to retain a core a. wedge
b. maintain the coronal seal of the root canal causes of: b. lever
treatment a. fracture directly at the DEJ c. dodecahedron
c. protect and preserve remaining tooth structure b. enamo-dentin fracture d. cornice
d. strengthen the tooth externally c. cemental-alveolus fracture
d. root fracture 19. According to Yamamoto, et al.
4. Changes following root canal therapy
12. Ideally, a minimal dentin thickness tapered posts produced the greatest
include:
a. loss of tooth structure around the post should be: stress at the:
b. absence of pulp a. 1mm a. apical third
c. altered collagen fiber alignment b. 2mm b. coronal half
d. all of the above c. 3mm c. mid root
d. 4mm d. coronal shoulder
5. Characteristics of an ideal post include
13. Which of the following stated that no 20. Who reported that tapered cemented
all but which one of the following:
a. be wider than 2/3 of the root diameter significant retention changes would posts are responsible for the least
b. A post must be as long as the crown occur with diameter variation. number of root fractures?
c. parallel sides with a maximum convergence of a. Standlee a. Kivanc and Gorgul
3-5° b. Stan Lee b. Tittle and Wilson
d achieve a precision fit in the canal c. Stanley c. Bledsoe and Glenn
d. Robert E. Lee d. Schaub and Johnson
6. In general, non-metallic posts can
14. Which of the following is true: 21. In a best-case scenario, a post design
be manufactured from which of the a. For every 2mm of decreasing tooth diameter,
following: there is a fracture rate of 6x. should have which of the following
a. titanium b. For every 1mm of decreasing tooth diameter, aspects:
b. carbon fiber there is a fracture rate of 8x. a. threaded
c. zinc/copper alloys c. For every 2mm of decreasing tooth diameter, b. tapered or parallel
d. stainless steel there is a fracture rate of 8x. c. glass fiber
d. For every 1mm of decreasing tooth diameter, d. all of the above
7. Chemical solvents used to remove there is a fracture rate of 6x
gutta percha include: 22. Shillinburg and Turner found that as
a. eucalyptol 15. In a study by Kivanç, endodontically the post diameter increases, retention:
b. chloroform treated anterior teeth restored with a. decreases
c. xylol glass fiber posts exhibited higher b. increases
d. all of the above failure loads than teeth restored with c. remains the same
8. Which of the following published data posts made from: d. varies
that suggests the mechanical method a. polonium 23. Eugenol affects bonding of resinous
b. plutonium
is the most desirable for gutta percha c. titanium material to tooth structure by inhibit-
removal in post preparation: d. nobelium ing:
a. Matthews a. ionic variance
b. Matise 16. Fiber posts show more homogeneous b. anionic pathways
c. Mattison stress distribution than posts made c. a and b
d. Morgan from: d. free radicals

8 www.DentalAcademyofCE.com
Questions

24. The physical materials that require 27. A sign and symptom that prohibits a. 2x
removal when preparing a post space post placement in an endodontically b. 20x
include: treated tooth is: c. 200x
a. gutta percha a. excellent apical seal d. 2000x
b. canal sealer b. quiescence 30. High bond strengths decrease as the
c. dentin c. exudate
d. all of the above d. a and b
canal space deepens because the nature
of the dentin’s collagen structure
25. Which of the following post materials 28. Sugaya et al. found that the number changes in:
has demonstrated the greatest corro- of cases of root fracture originating in a. size
sion resistance: the apical region decreased with an b. quality
a. zinc and copper blends increase in: c. configuration
b. titanium a. canal diameter d. all of the above
c. chromium/cobalt b. accessory canals
d. none of the above c. post diameter
26 High bond strengths decrease as the d. post length
canal space: 29. Studies have shown that threaded
a. deepens
b. widens
posts with a taper increase root
c. turns fracture by _______________ that of
d. splits parallel threaded posts.

Notes

www.DentalAcademyofCE.com 9
INSTANT EXAM CODE 15142 ANSWER SHEET

A Clinical Review of Endodontic Posts

Name: Title: Specialty:

Address: E-mail:

City: State: ZIP: Country:

Telephone: Home ( ) Office ( )

Lic. Renewal Date: AGD Member ID:

Requirements for successful completion of the course and to obtain dental continuing education credits: 1) Read the entire course. 2) Complete all information
above. 3) Complete answer sheets in either pen or pencil. 4) Mark only one answer for each question. 5) A score of 70% on this test will earn you 3 CE credits. 6)
Complete the Course Evaluation below. 7) Make check payable to PennWell Corp. For Questions Call 800-633-1681
If not taking online, mail completed answer sheet to
Educational Objectives PennWell Corp.
Attn: Dental Division,
1. Understand of the concept of an endodontic post;
1421 S. Sheridan Rd., Tulsa, OK, 74112
2. Identify the clinical situations in which posts are needed; or fax to: 918-831-9804
3. Know the latest materials needed for treatment with posts; and
4. Follow the steps required to clinically place a post. For IMMEDIATE results,
go to www.DentalAcademyofCE.com to take tests online.
Answer sheets can be faxed with credit card payment to
918-831-9804.
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AGD Code 074
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