A study of the microstructure of some dental retention pins and prefabricated root canal posts.

Pins and root canal posts are generally considered indispensible aids in clinical restorative dentistry. To secure the long-term efficiency of pins and posts, such devices should be of sufficient strength to carry the relevant loads. It is, however, essential that their properties do not decline as a consequence of corrosion, or that corrosion of metallic pins and posts does not cause unfavourable effect in contacting biological tissues.