Do you or a loved one have dental gold scrap? Dental restorations using metal crowns, caps and bridges are fairly common, and some contain precious elements like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. That’s right – if you have metal in your mouth, it may be worth something – especially with today’s soaring gold prices. The price of one ounce of gold (currently $3,800+) has almost doubled within the past year!
If you ever have a precious-metal dental crown extracted for replacement, it’s smart to ask the dentist if you can keep it. This seemingly useless item could hold significant value.
Dentists are generally expected to return extracted dental crowns to patients upon request. While there may not be a specific law requiring them to do so, there are also no regulations prohibiting it. In fact, the CDC confirms that dentists are permitted to return extracted materials to patients. Moreover, it’s generally considered best practice.
Different Types of Gold Crowns
Gold crowns are never made of pure gold, as gold is too soft on its own to withstand daily chewing and biting. Instead, crowns are made of alloys – combinations of metals – often including both precious and non-precious metals.
There are three main types of metal crowns: high noble alloys, noble alloys and non-noble alloys. High noble alloys are made from a minimum of 60% precious metals, with gold being the predominant component. Noble alloys contain at least 25% precious metal, and non-noble alloys contain less than 25% precious metal.
How Much Gold is in a Dental Crown?
The amount of gold in a single dental crown can vary significantly depending on the type of crown. For instance, an all-metal crown made from a high-noble alloy may be 67% gold. In contrast, a porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crown typically has a thinner layer of gold alloy beneath a porcelain exterior, resulting in a lower overall gold content.
Generally speaking, the older the crown, the more likely it is to have a higher gold content. Before the 1980s, high-noble gold-based alloys were commonly used in dentistry due to their exceptional durability and biocompatibility. However, as gold prices increased, dentists began using more affordable alternatives. Since then, lower-gold or non-precious metal alloys – along with materials like porcelain, zirconia, and resin – have become increasingly popular. Simply put, they don’t make them like they used to!
How Much Do Gold Crowns Sell For?
Here at Garfield Refining, we purchase extracted dental crowns, bridges, PFMs, inlays/onlays and more from dentists and patients alike. Crowns and bridges are among the most common types of material we receive.
Kelsey Spencer, Senior Account Manager in our Dental Department, has processed hundreds of dental scrap shipments and shares insight into the value of a single gold crown. “A crown’s value will depend on a number of factors, including when it was made (older crowns tend to have higher gold content) and the lab/dentist who made it. I’ve seen crowns worth as much as $50, but typically they range from $10-$30. These days you see a lot more nickel and chrome because gold and palladium have become so valuable.”
Determining the Value of Dental Scrap
Most dentists don’t know the exact metal makeup of the crowns they extract – understandably so, as dentists rarely fabricate crowns themselves days. Instead, materials like crowns, bridges and inlays are typically made by dental laboratories. Unless you’re the lab technician who made it or the refinery that melts it down, it’s nearly impossible to know how much gold a crown contains.
That’s why you can’t determine the value of dental scrap just by looking at it. Precious metal refineries like Garfield, who specialize in dental refining, will perform a melt and assay to accurately determine the type and amount of precious metals in each piece of material.
How Do I Sell My Dental Crown?
Selling a gold crown to a refinery like Garfield is simple. You’ll just fill out a quick form on our website and we’ll send you free shipping materials to mail your material to us.
Once received, we’ll carefully assay your crown to determine its precious metal content, and then calculate the value based on current market prices of gold and any other precious metals it contains. You’ll then receive your payment within just 1–2 business days!
While all refineries charge a small refining fee to cover operating costs, Garfield takes pride in offering the industry’s lowest fees, resulting in the highest payouts.
Can I Sell My Other Dental Scrap?
Garfield accepts all dental scrap that contains precious metals, including:
- Dental crowns
- Bridges
- PFMs
- Inlays and onlays
- Partial dentures
- Dental implants
We accept dental material as is, so there’s no need to clean your scrap before sending it in. Whether you have a sizable collection of dental material or just a single cap or crown, we’re here to help you turn your scrap into cash – fast!
If you’d like to sell a gold dental crown, download a free shipping label to get started today.
Garfield Refining has been refining precious metals since 1892. We’ll get you the best value for your gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, and we have the industry’s best customer service. Though we serve various industries, we excel in dental refining. For the past fourteen years, Garfield has been named North America’s “Best Dental Refiner” by leading dentists!
Stay tuned to Garfield’s blog for more articles about precious metals like 3 Fun Facts about Gold, The Best Place to Sell Dental Gold, and The Major Factors that Drive the Gold Price.