Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 10/13/2006

Question
Why is a post needed in a tooth?

How many parts are there to a root canal and is a crown the stanard of care that is required to save the tooth?

RCT means root canal treatment/therapy but what does RCTX mean?

Are all the roots in a root canal treated for that tooth?  

Answer
Dear Jennifer,

Q: Why is a post needed in a tooth?
A: The better question to ask is "when is a post needed in a tooth." This would be when to part of the tooth that protrudes through the gum is too broken down to reliably retain a crown or other restoration. Because a post is cemented in the root canal of a tooth, the use of a post must be preceded by a root canal therapy. A post provides a more reliable connection between the root of the tooth and any restoration built on it.

Q: How many parts are there to a root canal
A: A full exposition of root canal therapy is beyond the scope of this forum, but in broad terms, a root canal therapy is divided into three fundamental parts:
1. Access-- the opening up into the pulp chamber
2. Debridement-- the cleaning, disinfection, and shaping of the pulp chamber and root canals
3. Obturation-- the sealing off of the root canal system

Q: is a crown the stanard of care that is required to save the tooth?
A: There is no uniform standard of care. The selection of a means of structurally re-building a tooth depends on the condition of that particular tooth. However, it is generally true that a tooth that has been endodontically treated-- i.e., has received root canal therapy-- more often than not needs to be crowned.

Q: RCT means root canal treatment/therapy but what does RCTX mean?
A: the same thing.

Q:Are all the roots in a root canal treated for that tooth?
A: If at all possible, yes. Sometimes it is not feasible to treat all the roots, especially if there is a canal obstruction. A failure to treat all the roots will reduce the probability of a successful root canal outcome.

Hope this helps...

Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY