OBJECTIVETo develop a method of three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) of post-and-core restoration.

METHODSTwo plaster casts with extracted natural teeth were used in this study. The extracted teeth were prepared and scanned using tomography method to obtain three-dimensional digitalized models. According to the basic rules of post-and-core design, posts, cores and cavity surfaces of the teeth were designed using the tools for processing point clouds, curves and surfaces on the forward engineering software of Tanglong prosthodontic system. Then three-dimensional figures of the final restorations were corrected according to the configurations of anterior teeth, premolars and molars respectively.

RESULTSComputer aided design of 14 post-and-core restorations were finished, and good fitness between the restoration and the three-dimensional digital models were obtained. Appropriate retention forms and enough spaces for the full crown restorations can be obtained through this method.

CONCLUSIONSThe CAD of three-dimensional figures of the post-and-core restorations can fulfill clinical requirements. Therefore they can be used in computer-aided manufacture (CAM) of post-and-core restorations.