Yes, it's real gold
Dentists have used gold alloys for crowns, bridges, inlays, and caps for over a century, for the same reason jewelers alloy gold: durability. Typical dental gold runs somewhere between 10k and 18k equivalent — roughly 40% to 75% pure — with the balance made up of metals chosen for strength and biocompatibility.
Here's the part most people don't know: those other metals are often valuable themselves. Dental alloys frequently include palladium, platinum, or silver. A crown that looks like a modest bit of gold can carry a pleasant surprise once it's properly tested.
What about the porcelain, the cement… the tooth?
Bring it exactly as it is. Porcelain fused to the metal, old cement, even a crown still attached to an extracted tooth — none of it is a problem and none of it should embarrass you. Refiners deal with all of it routinely; the non-metal material is separated out, and you're paid on the weight of the precious metal alone.
Please don't try to clean, boil, or break apart dental work before bringing it in. You can't add value that way, and you can lose some — small pieces go missing, and aggressive cleaning does nothing for the metal weight, which is the only thing being measured.
How the transaction actually works
It works like any other gold sale at our counter: the piece is tested to determine its actual precious-metal content, weighed on a calibrated scale, and priced against today's market. You'll see each step, get a straight explanation of the number, and walk out with cash if you accept. One crown or a jar of them — we've seen both.
If you'd rather not sell outright, dental gold works as loan collateral like anything else of value. Either way, the estimate is free and the conversation is confidential — three principles since 1955, and "treat every customer with respect" is the first one.
Bring it in — estimates are free
Reading gets you close; the scale and the tester get you exact. Free, fast, no obligation — since 1955.