Gold in Dentistry

Gold is used in restorative and cosmetic dentistry for its properties that include longevity, aesthetics, and biocompatibility. It is chemically-inert, non- allergenic, and desired for its aesthetic appeal. Gold is the oldest dental restorative material and has been used for dental repairs for more than 4000 years. Early Phoenicians and the Etruscans used it as a gold wire to bind teeth, and the Romans used it as a gold strip to make fixed bridges.

 In orthodontics and conservative and restorative dentistry, gold is used as an alloy or as a pure metal. Due to the masticatory forces in the mouth and the soft nature of gold, using pure gold is limited to small occlusal cavities and not used as a direct filling. Instead, electroformed inlays and onlays are cemented into cavities after they have been veneered with porcelain. Electroforming is rapidly becoming a mainstream technique in modern dentistry. Electroforming coats existing dental restorations with pure gold or alloyed gold on inlays and onlays, veneered porcelain, crowns, and bridgework.

The use of gold in dentistry is significant. In 2017, about 1.24% of the global demand for gold was for its use in dentistry. Although, there are alternative materials available for dental work, gold remains an optimal material for its ease of manufacture, ease for the dentist to work with, and its properties that make it compatible with the body. There is also a concern as to the use of less inert metals that may have an adverse effect on long-term health.

Gold is commonly used in pop culture as removable dental jewellery worn over teeth called a "grill". Gold grills can be made of 10-karat to 24- karat gold and can be tinted with other colours such as white, yellow, or rose. Grills can also be embedded with precious stones and can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the types of material used and the number of teeth covered.