title: All-ceramic posts and cores: the state of the art.
abstract: Metal posts used to restore endodontically treated teeth may shine through all-ceramic crowns and thin gingival tissue. When nonprecious alloys are used, corrosion products may lead to discoloration. All-ceramic posts and cores can be used in combination with all-ceramic crowns to prevent these problems. All-ceramic posts and cores are highly biocompatible and will almost always increase the translucency of an all-ceramic restoration. The purpose of this article is to describe the fabrication of all-ceramic posts and cores, using high-toughness ceramic materials such as alumina or zirconia ceramics, through 4 different techniques: the slip-casting technique; the copy-milling technique; the 2-piece technique, which involves a prefabricated zirconia ceramic post and a copy-milled alumina or zirconia ceramic core; and the heat-press technique, which involves a prefabricated zirconia ceramic post and a heat-pressed glass-ceramic core. Indications, contraindications, advantages, and disadvantages of the different techniques are compared.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Koutayas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kern
mesh_terms: D002516:Ceramics; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011176:Post and Core Technique