"Post-retained crown" means a crown retained to the root by a post. this post is made to fit inside the root, IN the root canal.

Now, the post can refer to:
-a whole structure, that will fix a crown to the root... the structure includes the root post and part of the crown. This struture is custom made to fit that single tooth.

-A single post (usually called "prefab posts"). Prefab stands for pre-fabricated. This are posts you can buy, and you'll choose the one that "fits" to the tooth you want to heal. These are made of glass-fiber, metal, etc.

So... the definition would change wheter it refers to a custom made post-retained crown (i think this is the one) or to a prefab post.

In the case it refers to the prefab post... the term would be "perno prefabricado" (... de fibra de vidrio/metal/etc). We usually specify the material it's made of.

I have given the term to the custom made post... "perno" refers to the part of the structure that will receive the crown, the part that comes out of the root. "Corona" is, obviously, crown.

It can also be found as "perno-muñón-corona"... it's a synonym.

http://www.odontologia-online.com.ar/php/phpBB2/about1576.ht...
http://www.centrosodontologia.com.ar/pernocorona.htm
http://www.alemana.cl/bys/die/die002.html
http://www.dynabizvenezuela.com/images/dynabiz/ID3887/sitein...


Hope it helps... ;)