Dental Gold Work
Dentist Great Falls
 Gold is one of the materials that we can use in tooth restorations for dental crowns, inlays, and onlays. Patients love gold because it most resembles our natural enamel in hardness and feeling, making it a more comfortable restoration that is also very durable.
During your consultation, Dr. David Currie can review all of the materials available for your restoration and help you decide which is best, based on the location of the restoration, the amount of chewing pressure, and the costs. There are some dental restorations that would be best completed with gold.
Benefits of Gold Dental Restorations
Gold provides many benefits in dentistry; this is something that humans discovered thousands of years ago, with archaeologists finding remains with gold teeth that are over 4000 years old. Gold crowns are great for a variety of reasons:| • |
Help prevent recurring decay: Gold seals on the original tooth very tightly, preventing bacteria from seeping between the crown and tooth. This seal keeps the original tooth healthier. |
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Resistant to breakage: Gold restorations are very strong, meaning fewer problems with breakage or wear. |
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Longevity: Gold crowns have a long lifespan, longer than other materials. Studies following ten years of use found that 96% of patients still retained their gold crowns, which is better longevity findings than porcelain over metal crowns and ceramic crowns. |
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Biocompatibility: Gold has been found to be very biocompatible, meaning there are fewer problems with allergic reactions, or the body not tolerating it well. |
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Remove less tooth: We can remove less of the natural tooth before the placement of your gold dental crown than we do with other materials. Retaining more of your natural tooth is always best. |
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Gentle to other teeth: Some materials we use can be harsh on nearby teeth. Gold is a softer material, and similar to your enamel in hardness, making it wear better with your other teeth through normal use. |
Gold restorations are not made with full gold, they are 16k gold alloy and contain other metals such as silver, palladium, copper, and tin. Without these other materials, gold is too soft a metal, the other metals provide added stability.
Gold Prosthetic Process
After it has been determined that you would like a gold restoration, it will take two office visits to complete. The first appointment will include creating a mold or impression of the tooth and then preparing the tooth for the prosthetic. Less preparation is needed for inlays and onlays, but preparing for a crown means decreasing the size of the natural tooth to fit the crown properly. We can place a temporary cover until the permanent prosthetic is ready.
The mold is then sent to a dental lab, where your gold prosthetic is fabricated. Once our office has received the device, we will contact you to schedule the fitting. At your second appointment, we will fit the gold piece, making any adjustments as needed for a proper fit and bite. The gold piece is then permanently cemented into place. During future exams and cleanings, we will review your gold crown to check if it has become loose or damaged. If so, repairs can be made at that time. |
