Very often fine dental treatment consists of teeth restored with gold.  Every week I am asked about this and why this may or may not be an appropriate treatment.  Restoring teeth with gold has been known since the time of the ancient Egyptians.  I have often refereed to gold as artificial tooth enamel.  It has several amazing characteristics.

A gold crown and two gold onlays.  These restorations were placed more than 40 years ago.  

First, by sheer coincidence, it happens to wear at the same rate as natural tooth enamel.  It is the only element we know of that does this.  If there were no other reason to use it, this would be enough.  However, it is also inert and non- reactive in the human body.  This means that it is non-toxic and has the potential to last, well forever.

So why is not every dental restoration made of gold?  Two reasons come to mind.  It is the wrong color and cost.  Gold currently costs over $1,700 per troy ounce and while I believe that gold should always be considered as a restorative material not everyone wants to show it in their smile.

Other less costly materials include porcelain and composite resin.  Every crown (also called cap) that I place usually contains a core made of a gold-platinum alloy.  This material has a nice whitish-yellow color that allows me to keep the removal of natural tooth to a minimum while allowing for maximum strength and esthetics.  I have not placed a mercury containing silver or sometimes called amalgam alloy filling in over ten years now.  This is an outdated technique and as far as I am concerned has no place in modern dentistry.

Gold post cemented in this lower premolar.  This will be covered with a porcelain crown.  Note the deterioration in the old style silver filling behind it.

If you are interested in the best, strongest, and longest lasting restoration please ask your dentist about gold.  Most dentists will be happy to place it and as a consumer of dental services it is a choice you should be given.  It is never the lowest cost option but when measured over the time it can last it is very often the best value.

Gold onlay placed by me 16 years ago.  The margins look as good as the day it was placed