Dental Gold (Dental Alloy)
Also: Dental alloy, Dental metal, Dental gold, Scrap gold from dental practice
Dental gold refers to precious-metal-bearing dental alloys used in dentistry for crowns, bridges and inlays, which on recycling yield valuable precious metals such as gold, platinum and palladium.
Dental gold is not pure gold but a precious-metal-bearing dental alloy developed specifically for use in the human mouth. The requirements are strict: the material must be corrosion-resistant, biocompatible, dimensionally stable and durably loadable. For decades such alloys have been used for crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays and telescopic dentures. Anyone who owns old dental gold — from their own mouth or that of a relative — can sell it to a refinery or a precious metal buyer and receive the melt value based on the current gold price.
Composition: three classes of dental alloys
Dentistry distinguishes dental alloys by their precious metal content into three main classes:
| Class | Gold content | Further precious metals | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-gold alloy | 60–85 % | Pt, Pd, Ag | Crowns, bridges, inlays |
| Reduced-gold alloy | 25–60 % | Pd, Ag, Cu | Cheaper crowns, partial dentures |
| Non-precious (base metal) | 0 % | Cr, Co, Ni, Mo | Base metal alloys (not dental gold) |
High-gold alloys often contain, alongside gold, platinum (for strength and tarnish resistance), palladium (raises the melting point and improves hardness), silver (a cheaper extending additive) as well as small quantities of copper, zinc or indium to adjust casting and processing properties.
Reduced-gold alloys (also precious-metal alloys without high gold) often consist of a palladium-silver base system with comparatively little gold. Their precious metal content nevertheless lies far above that of jewellery in 333 gold.
Why use precious metal at the dentist at all?
The physical and chemical properties of precious metals make them particularly suitable for dentistry:
- Corrosion resistance: in the saliva environment with fluctuating pH values and temperatures (10–60 °C), precious metals barely rust or oxidise.
- Biocompatibility: high-gold alloys are considered very well tolerated; allergic reactions are rare (in contrast to nickel-bearing base metal alloys).
- Workability: dental gold can be cast, ground and polished precisely — important for the exact-fitting restoration of a prepared tooth.
- Longevity: well-processed dental gold can last for decades.
Since the 1990s, all-ceramic crowns and zirconia restorations have gained importance (tooth-coloured, metal-free aesthetics). Gold consumption in dental technology has declined since then, but still makes up a notable share of gold demand globally.
Calculating the melt value of dental gold
The value of dental gold results from the fine weight of the precious metals it contains multiplied by their daily prices. Since dental gold usually consists of several metals, each must be valued separately.
Melt value = (gross weight × gold share × gold price)
+ (gross weight × palladium share × palladium price)
+ (gross weight × platinum share × platinum price)
+ ...
Example: a crown of 2.0 g gross weight from an alloy with 75 % gold, 10 % palladium and 5 % platinum:
- Gold: 2.0 g × 0.75 = 1.50 g fine gold
- Palladium: 2.0 g × 0.10 = 0.20 g fine palladium
- Platinum: 2.0 g × 0.05 = 0.10 g fine platinum
The actual payout, depending on the buyer, lies at 75–90 % of the calculated melt value. You can determine the full melt value with the dental gold calculator or the general melt value calculator based on the current gold price.
Purchase: how the sale works
- Collect: keep crowns, bridges and inlays after removal by the dentist. Dental practices are able to hand removed restorations to the patient.
- Identify: visual inspection (high-gold = yellowish-golden; reduced-gold = whitish-silvery). No reliable statement without analysis.
- Obtain an offer: buyers (refineries, precious metal dealers, online purchase) usually quote flat prices per gram based on the visible alloy class or carry out an X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF).
- Analysis and payout: reputable refineries melt the material down, analyse the alloy exactly and pay based on the actually determined fineness.
Note on tax: under UK law, gains from selling dental gold may be relevant for Capital Gains Tax above the annual exempt amount, calculated as disposal proceeds minus acquisition cost. There is no German-style one-year speculation period. Anti-money-laundering checks may apply under the UK Money Laundering Regulations. This is a note — not tax or investment advice; please consult a tax adviser in case of doubt. Sources: gov.uk / HMRC.
Dental gold and recycling
Dental gold is a significant component of scrap gold recycling. Considerable quantities of dentally used precious metals arise worldwide every year — from practices, dental laboratories and crematorium residues. Refineries melt the material down, separate the metals pyrometallurgically or hydrometallurgically and recover pure gold, palladium and platinum. This secondary material flows back into precious metal production and thereby conserves primary resources.
In brief
Dental gold is a complex precious metal alloy with gold, palladium and platinum as value-determining components — the actual value depends on the exact fineness and the daily price of all contained metals. Anyone wishing to sell old dental gold should calculate the melt value beforehand and compare offers from several reputable buyers.