We surveyed various kinds of dowel-cores of the patients at the Tsurumi University Dental Clinic during the nine month period, March to November 1986, in order to know thefrequency in use of several dowel and core methods available in practice.
The results were as follows:
1. Cast metal dowel and cores were fabricated in the highest rate (68.2%) and followedby plastic materials (28.2%).
2. In cast dowel and cores, Ag-Pd-Au alloy was used in the highest rate (85.7%) and followed by Ag-Sn-Zn alloy (14.3%).
3. In plastic materials, composite resin dowel and cores amounted to 98.8% and dental cement 9.2%. Amalgam corewas not used even in only one case.
4. In the severe situation like total loss of coronal tooth structure, cast dowel and cores were especially indicated.