Where to Buy Dental Gold & What to Consider

Dental gold is a specialized alloy primarily used in dentistry for restorations such as fillings, crowns, and bridges. This material is not pure gold, but rather a blend of gold with other metals, chosen for its unique properties that make it suitable for the oral environment. Its application in dental work stems from its durability, malleability, and resistance to corrosion, ensuring longevity within the mouth.

Primary Sources for Dental Gold

Specialized dental supply companies offer new, unformed gold products like alloys or casting grain, manufactured for dental applications. These materials are ready for dental laboratories to shape into restorations, ensuring consistent quality.

Precious metal dealers and refiners are significant sources, often dealing in reclaimed or refined dental gold from scrapped dental work. They process and purify this material, offering it in forms like small ingots or bars for remanufacturing. These dealers operate both online and in physical locations.

Online marketplaces and auction sites also offer reclaimed or scrap dental gold. While providing selection and competitive pricing, caution is important. Buyers should evaluate seller reputation and verify authenticity and purity before purchase.

Local avenues like reputable jewelers, coin shops, and pawn shops may also have scrap or reclaimed dental gold. These establishments buy and sell various precious metals, including old dental work. Due diligence is required to ensure fair pricing and genuine material.

Understanding Dental Gold Forms and Purity

Dental gold is an alloy, not pure 24-karat gold, as pure gold is too soft for oral function. Alloying gold with metals like palladium, silver, copper, platinum, or zinc enhances its strength, durability, and biocompatibility, allowing it to endure the oral environment.

Common forms include scrap dental gold (old crowns, bridges, or fillings, sometimes attached to extracted teeth). Its purity varies based on the original dental work’s composition. New, unformed dental gold alloys or casting grain are manufactured specifically for dental use, often sold as small pellets or granules. These alloys are categorized by gold content: high-noble (at least 60% noble metal, 40% minimum gold), noble (at least 25% noble metal), and non-noble (less than 25% noble metal).

Refined dental gold is processed scrap, purified into forms like small ingots or bars. Purity is measured in karats for scrap gold (24 karats is pure gold) and fineness (parts per thousand) for alloys or refined gold. Common karat levels range from 10K to 22K, with 16K to 18K frequently encountered (41.7% to 91.7% gold content). Other metals influence the alloy’s physical properties and color.

Essential Buying Considerations

Verifying purity is crucial, as value correlates with gold content. While acid testing offers a general indication, it’s less accurate for complex alloys. More precise methods include X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning for non-destructive analysis, or professional assaying. Always seek clear purity markings or certifications, especially for new alloys or refined products.

Pricing is based on weight, purity, and current spot prices of gold and other precious metals like palladium. Scrap dental gold is priced lower than its pure gold content due to refining costs. Compare offers from multiple reputable dealers for a competitive price.

Seller reputation is important. Buying from established dealers or refiners minimizes risks regarding authenticity and fair pricing. Researching reviews, industry certifications, and business history provides assurance of reliability.

Ensuring the legality of the transaction is vital due to financial regulations. Dealers may need to report certain sales to the IRS using Form 1099-B. Cash payments of $10,000 or more may trigger a FinCEN Form 8300 report from the dealer. Precious metals are classified as capital assets by the IRS, and profits from their sale are subject to capital gains tax. Maintain detailed records of purchase price, acquisition date, and costs for tax purposes.

Secure payment and delivery methods are necessary. Reputable sellers offer secure payment options and insured shipping. Confirm shipments are fully insured against loss or damage until received, and that packaging ensures discretion and protection.