Pearly Whites... And Golds: Why Choose A Gold Dental Crown?

Would you think that the main point of a dental crown is how realistic it looks? There are some people who might disagree with you, and these are people with gold dental crowns. Although some are more brightly colored than others, it's not possible for a gold crown to match the color and texture of natural tooth structure. So why would someone choose a gold dental restoration over something that actually looks like a tooth? 

Primarily Gold

Gold dental crowns are rarely pure gold. This has less to do with the cost of the material, and more that a gold alloy is more appropriate for dental applications. The resulting alloy is easily shaped and has low thermal conductivity, meaning that it will not absorb the heat it's exposed to via your diet. The alloy composition will be primarily gold, with other added metals, such as copper and nickel.

One Clear Disadvantage

In terms of its design, manufacturing process, application to your tooth, and subsequent functionality—there are many reasons to recommend a gold alloy dental crown. And then there's one clear disadvantage that you might already be thinking about: a gold restoration in your smile is going to be very obvious, and clearly won't look natural.

The Appearance

A dentist may be reluctant to provide a gold alloy crown for an anterior tooth, and these are the teeth that are visible when you smile. Despite its clear-cut artificialness, some patients may appreciate the appearance of a gold tooth. A dentist may feel obliged to point out the permanent nature of a dental crown before proceeding. Once a tooth has had its surface prepared for a crown, it will always need the protection of dental restoration (as some of its surface enamel has been removed to accommodate the crown).

Specific Recommendations

As long as it meets the patient's needs, a dentist can certainly add a gold alloy crown to an anterior tooth. However, a dentist may only specifically recommend a gold alloy crown for a rear (or posterior) tooth that won't be easily glimpsed—and these teeth are your molars or premolars. If you have particularly sensitive teeth, a dentist may strongly recommend a gold alloy crown for a posterior tooth. This is because a precious metal alloy dental restoration is thinner than its porcelain equivalent. Less of the tooth structure must then be removed to fit the crown, which involves less time in the dental chair for you.

A gold crown isn't for everyone, yet there are times when it's unambiguously the better choice. Reach out to a local dentist to learn more about dental crowns.