Repairing teeth with metal crowns is one of the most common procedures in dentistry. Did you know that dental crowns often contain valuable precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium? If you have a dental crown in your mouth, it may be worth something.
If you ever have a dental crown removed, you should consider asking the dentist to return it. Although this may seem like an odd request, it’s actually quite practical. These seemingly worthless objects can contain significant value!
Dentists are typically obligated to return a patient’s dental crown upon request. Although legal obligations can vary based on local laws and regulations, it’s generally considered good practice and part of the dentist’s policy to do so.
How much gold is in a dental crown?
Dental crowns are made from a variety of materials. Different types of crowns include porcelain or ceramic, PFM (porcelain-fused-to metal), zirconia, composite resin, and metal.
Many dental crowns contain some form of precious metal, such gold, silver, platinum or palladium. But this varies widely depending on the type of crown you have, and some crowns contain much more precious metal than others.
Porcelain crowns, for example, don’t contain any gold or precious metals. Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns may contain a combination of gold and palladium.
In terms of metal crowns, there are three main types: 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.
Are gold crowns worth anything?
The price of a crown is determined by how much precious metal it has. Most dentists don’t know the exact material makeup of the crowns they extract. Because crowns vary so much in composition, it’s nearly impossible to determine value without the assistance of a precious metal expert like Garfield Refining.
On average, we’ve seen dental crowns valued anywhere from $0-$100. But lately, the price of gold has reached record highs – around $2,182 per troy ounce (as of March 2024)! So now is a better time than ever to sell your metal dental crown.
How do I sell my Dental crown?
With a rise in precious metals prices in recent years, there’s been an upswing in refiners who buy dental crowns directly from the public. (Garfield Refining, however, has been a leader in dental refining for over 130 years.)
Selling a gold crown to a precious metal refiner is a simple process. At Garfield, you’ll just fill out a quick form on our website and we’ll send you free shipping materials to mail your dental crown to us.
We’ll assay and refine your crown to find its exact precious metal content, and then we’ll determine the value based on the current spot price of gold or other precious metals. You’ll then be paid within 1-2 business days!
Remember that any precious metal-containing crown you have is rarely pure, and it will have to be refined. Most all precious metal refiners charge a small refining fee to cover the cost of extracting the precious metals.
Can I sell my other dental scrap?
Garfield Refining accepts all dental scrap from the public, including:
- Dental crowns
- Bridges
- PFMs
- Inlays and onlays
- Partial dentures
- Dental implants
We accept dental material “as is,” so don’t worry about cleaning your material before sending it in.
If you’re looking to sell gold dental crowns, download a label and start your shipment 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 thirteen years, Garfield has been named North America’s “Best Dental Refiner” by leading dentists!
Stay tuned to Garfield’s blog for more helpful and fun insights on precious metals, such as articles like 3 Fun Facts about Gold, The Best Place to Sell Dental Gold, and The Major Factors that Drive the Gold Price.