Have an old gold crown, filling, or bridge tucked away in a drawer? You might be surprised to learn that it holds significant value. Dental gold is a high-purity alloy designed for durability, and its value is tied directly to the live price of gold.
Instead of guessing, use our intelligent and modern calculator below to get an instant, real-time estimate of your dental gold’s value. We provide not just the melt value, but also realistic estimates of what you could be offered by different types of buyers.
*All values are estimates calculated in real-time. The live gold price is a simulation for demonstrative purposes and automatically updates every few seconds. Market prices and payout offers can vary.
Getting an accurate estimate is simple. Follow these three easy steps:
Select the Dental Gold Karat: Choose the Karat (K) that best matches your dental scrap. If you’re unsure, 16K is a common purity for older yellow-gold crowns. Use the tooltip (?) for more guidance on different alloy types.
Enter the Weight: Place your dental gold on a precise digital scale. Enter the weight into the input field. For the most accurate calculation, remove any non-gold materials like attached porcelain or tooth remnants.
Choose the Weight Unit: Our calculator supports Grams (g), Pennyweight (dwt), and Troy Ounces (oz). Select the unit that matches your scale’s reading. The values will update instantly.
Unlike jewelry, dental gold isn’t typically stamped with a karat mark. Its composition is based on its classification as a dental alloy. Here’s a simple guide:
High Noble (Precious Metal): These are the highest quality alloys, with a rich yellow color. They contain over 60% precious metals (gold, platinum, palladium), with at least 40% being gold. This typically corresponds to 16K to 22K.
Noble (Semi-Precious Metal): These alloys contain at least 25% precious metals. They can have a yellow or white appearance. Their gold content is generally in the 10K to 14K range.
Non-Precious: These alloys contain negligible or no gold and have a silver or “white” appearance. They are not valuable for their gold content and cannot be calculated here.
Our calculator gives you three different estimates to provide a complete picture of your item’s worth:
Current Market Value: This is the 100% “melt value” of the pure gold contained in your dental scrap, based on the live spot price of gold. This is a benchmark figure, not what a buyer will pay.
Average Pawn Shop Offer: Pawn shops and many local jewelers have high overhead costs and need to turn a quick profit. They typically offer between 50-70% of the melt value. This estimate represents a realistic, but lower-end, offer.
Specialized Buyer Offer: Mail-in refineries and specialized dental gold buyers operate on volume and have a more efficient process. Because of this, they can offer a much higher percentage, typically 80-95% of the melt value. This is the price you should aim for when selling.
Q: How can I weigh my dental gold accurately?
A: For best results, use a jeweler’s digital scale or a high-precision kitchen scale that measures in grams. Make sure the scale is on a flat surface and tared (zeroed out) before weighing.
Q: What about the porcelain or tooth attached to the crown (PFM)?
A: The calculator’s value is for the metal only. Any porcelain or tooth material (known as PFM or Porcelain Fused to Metal) must be removed before weighing to get an accurate metal weight. You can often carefully break it off with pliers, but be sure to wear safety glasses.
Q: Is it safe to sell dental gold?
A: Absolutely. Selling scrap dental gold is a common and legal practice. Always choose reputable buyers with transparent processes and good reviews.
Q: Why is the “Live Gold Price” on the calculator constantly changing?
A: The global market price for gold fluctuates every second based on supply, demand, and economic factors. Our tool simulates this live market activity to give you the most current valuation possible.