“Dental Scrap = Recession Cure?”

Posted by drgracesun on April 30, 2009 under Information | Be the First to Comment

Do you need some extra cash, especially if you are feeling the squeeze of the credit crunch? Check your drawers and jewelry boxes to find any gold crowns or inlays removed from your mouth, trade in the dental scrap for some pocket change!

You might have never thought about it, but gold fillings, bridges and other gold dental work is actually worth some money in today’s economy! Gold is one of the few precious metals which has held its value, and many people with scrap fillings lying around the house are turning to jewelers to get money for their gold dental work! They can sell for $30 to $50.

In our office, when offered remaining gold scrap when a patient has old dental work removed, 25% of people say they would like to keep the gold. Some people have these gold teeth lying around, and if you fall under this category, it might be time to change the gold dental scrap to good use. Gold does not corrode in the harsh oral environment, and because of this, it has been a suitable restorative material choice for decades (even though in more recent years, the trend has been towards composite or porcelain material which looks natural against other real teeth). Still, there is plenty dental gold work even today, and even porcelain crowns can be supported with dental gold alloy. While dental gold is usually 12 to 16 karat, not 24 karat, it still fetches a high resale value, up to $900 per ounce in today’s economy! The gold must be treated chemically to remove other metallic substances, but this can be easily done by the jeweler you sell your scrap gold to.

There is one shocking fact you learn from this dental gold rush story – the base tooth is actually separated from the gold cap with your cola drink. Cola is no stranger to criticism from the dental world, its acidic properties can erode your enamel and gum (and even lead to bone loss!) and can wreak havoc in your mouth.  If you soak the tooth in a cup of cola for 24-48 hours, the gold cap will separate from the tooth and will be ready for scrapping. Doesn’t this fact make you think twice about drinking cola? The best way to fight recession is get into prevention, take good care of yourself! When you’re healthy, it’s much easier to be productive and move ahead. Let your mouth be your asset instead of liability starting with proper home care and stay away from bad habits and poor diets.