Dental Gold Value: How Much Is Your Old Crown or Bridge Worth?

Picture this. You finally get around to cleaning out a drawer and find an old dental crown tucked inside a tiny plastic bag. It doesn’t look like much. Maybe it even has some tooth material or porcelain attached.

Before you throw it away, take another look.

That old crown could contain gold and other valuable precious metals. The same goes for old bridges, fillings, caps, and other dental work. You may be able to sell dental gold just as you would broken jewelry or other scrap gold. But how much is dental gold worth? That depends on what is actually inside it.

If you have been wondering, “Where can I sell gold?”. This blog will tell you what you should know before taking your dental gold to a buyer.

What Exactly Is Dental Gold?

Dental gold is a metal alloy used to make certain crowns, bridges, fillings, and other dental restorations. The important word here is alloy.

Your gold crown is probably not pure 24-karat gold. Pure gold is quite soft, which isn’t ideal for something you use every day. That’s why dental labs mix it with metals like silver, platinum, palladium, or copper. The added metals make the crown stronger and help it hold up over the years. 

Depending on the dental alloy, your old restoration may contain –

• Silver
• Platinum
• Palladium
• Copper
• Other metals

Dental gold can vary considerably in purity. Some gold dental crowns contain a high percentage of precious metal, while others contain much less gold. That is why two crowns that look almost identical can have very different values.

Can You Sell Dental Gold Crowns and Bridges?

Yes. Gold dental crowns, bridges, and certain other dental restorations can have scrap value after they have been removed. A gold buyer may be interested in –

• Full gold crowns
• Gold dental bridges
• Partial crowns
• Gold inlays and onlays
• Certain dental fillings
• Broken dental gold
• Porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations
• Other scrap dental alloys

You don’t need a perfect, shiny gold tooth. In fact, its appearance usually matters very little when you sell gold as scrap. A scratched, broken, or decades-old crown can still contain valuable metal.

Think about an old gold chain. Breaking the chain doesn’t make the gold disappear. Dental gold works in much the same way. The value is in the metal itself.

How Much Is Dental Gold Worth?

There isn’t one price for an old crown. Your dentist may have charged hundreds or even thousands of dollars for the original dental work, but that isn’t the number a buyer uses. The cost of the procedure included the dentist’s work, laboratory costs, fitting, and other expenses. Once removed, the restoration is generally valued for its recoverable precious metals.

Your old gold crown value comes down to three big factors –

1. Weight

More precious metal generally means more potential value. Dental restorations are commonly weighed in grams. A small crown may contain only a few grams of alloy. A larger bridge containing several units may weigh considerably more. But don’t assume the heaviest piece is automatically worth the most. Purity matters too.

2. Gold Purity

A heavier crown doesn’t always mean a higher value. What matters is how much of that weight actually comes from gold and other valuable metals. Dental gold can contain different amounts of gold depending on the alloy used. 

A smaller crown can sometimes be worth more than a larger one simply because it contains more gold. And unlike jewelry, dental restorations don’t always come with a karat mark that tells you what you’re looking at. That’s where proper testing helps. It gives you a better idea of how much precious metal the crown actually contains. 

3. Current Gold Price

Gold prices change over time. The gold crown scrap value you could receive today may therefore be different a month or a year from now. A buyer needs to consider the current market value of the recoverable gold when evaluating your dental scrap.

What Is Your Dental Gold Worth?

You can estimate the metal value if you know the weight, approximate purity, and current gold price. Here is a simple way to understand the calculation –

Weight × Gold Purity × Current Gold Value Per Gram = Estimated Gold Content Value

For example, imagine you have a 3-gram restoration made from an alloy that tests at 60% gold. That gives you approximately 1.8 grams of actual gold before refining costs and other considerations. Here is how purity changes the amount of gold in a hypothetical 3-gram piece –

These numbers are not offered or guaranteed values. Your actual dental gold worth depends on testing, recoverable metal weight, other precious metals in the alloy, refining considerations, and the market price at the time you sell.

How Does a Gold Buyer Evaluate Dental Gold?

Selling an old crown shouldn’t feel like someone looks at it for five seconds and pulls a random number out of the air. A professional evaluation generally focuses on the actual metal. The buyer may –

1. Inspect the restoration to see what materials are present.
2. Test the metal to estimate its composition or purity.
3. Account for non-precious material such as porcelain.
4. Weigh the relevant metal.
5. Check current precious-metal prices.
6. Calculate an offer based on the recoverable value and the buyer’s purchasing terms.

Dental alloys can be more complicated than a marked 14K bracelet. Your crown probably won’t have a convenient stamp telling you exactly what is inside. Testing is always important.

How Can You Choose a Trustworthy Dental Gold Buyer?

You don’t have to accept the first cash-for-gold offer you receive. If you aren’t familiar with where to sell gold, ask a few questions before handing anything over. A trustworthy buyer should be willing to explain –

• How your dental gold is tested
• How it is weighed
• How purity affects the offer
• How current gold prices factor into the evaluation
• How porcelain or other materials are handled
• What you will receive before you agree to sell

You should pay attention to how the conversation feels, too. You shouldn’t feel rushed or pressured. If you ask how the buyer arrived at the price, you should get an understandable answer rather than confusing industry jargon. Most importantly, you should remain in control of your item until you agree to the transaction.

What Else Should You Know About Dental Gold? 

Takeaway!

A dental crown can look pretty unimpressive once it’s out of your mouth. It may be tiny. It may be scratched. It may have porcelain stuck to it. You might even have forgotten why you kept it in the first place. But none of that tells you its actual dental gold value.

The best way to know is to consider the precious metals it contains, along with its weight, purity, and current market prices. So, before tossing that old crown or bridge into the trash, have it checked.

If you’re wondering where to sell gold, take your dental crowns, bridges, fillings, broken jewelry, or other scrap gold to a reputable local buyer for an in-person evaluation. You can find out what your gold is worth before deciding if you want to sell it. 

Read More About:

1. Where Can I Sell Gold? Don’t Fall for These 5 Common Myths
2. Gold for Cash: Expert Tips, Payout Secrets & Scam Alerts
3. 24K vs 22K vs 18K Gold: Which One Should You Buy?
4. Rare U.S. $1,000 Bill Value Today: Insights from Coin Dealers

Find Out What Your Dental Gold Is Worth at BEHR Gold, Coins & Jewelry 

If you’re in Sacramento and have an old crown sitting in a drawer, you don’t necessarily need to mail it across the country to find out if it has value.

BEHR Gold, Coins & Jewelry is a family-owned gold buyer with 13+ years of experience serving Sacramento and Carmichael. You can bring in your old crowns, bridges, or other scrap dental gold for an in-person evaluation. Our team offers transparent pricing, knowledgeable evaluations, and clear answers without pressuring you to sell gold.

So, if you’re wondering where to sell gold in Sacramento, you can have your dental gold checked in person and understand its value before making your decision. Call (916) 898-2608 to speak with us.