The use of a universal adhesive in a post and core technique would be no different from its use in any clinical scenario, except for the unique difficulty of light polymerization in the post space and the potential use of a dual- or self-cure material as the post cement and core material.
There are several methods to address the first clinical challenge of adequately curing the adhesive in the post space beyond aiming the light into the dark abyss of an often 6+ mm post space. First, a dual-cured adhesive may be used. These are typically 2-bottle systems, and they are not common. Second, the adhesive may be used with a dual-cured cement, which contains initiators to chemically-cure the adhesive, sometimes referred to as “contact cure.” Third, the adhesive may be co-cured with the post cement through a light-transmitting fiber post.
The issue with using a universal adhesive with a dual- or chemical-cured core material is that the acidity of universal adhesive can inhibit the amine-based chemical set of a core material. Therefore, some manufacturers recommend using a dual-cure activator with their universal adhesive if it will be used with any dual- or chemical-cured core material.