If you look into the mouth of an older dentist, you will often find a gold cap. Gold was once used in dentistry because it makes a fantastic material for dental work, because of a number of key properties. Gold is easy malleable, a cap wears over time and allows the cap to gradually fit into place. Porcelain crowns do not wear and break with wearing forces whereas a gold one will not break. Gold is hypo-allergenic and it is very rare that they will ever cause an allergic reaction. When a gold crown is highly polished, the gums often grow up onto the surface.
A gold cap is very easy to make, especially back in the day when technology was limited. Porcelain crowns require a great deal of time and expertise to make. Porcelain crowns have a supporting metal understructure, two dental technicians are usually needed to make the one porcelain crown. They are quickly constructed by one dental technician rather than two. This decreases the labor costs and often compensates for the increased cost of using gold. Statistically, they last about 14 years, almost twice as long as a porcelain crown, which, last around 7 years. This makes a them a good long term investment.
When a gold cap is highly polished they can be quite beautiful and gold dental crowns have been cherished by humans since ancient times. In recent years a more natural look using dental composite materials have come into vouge and gold has fallen out of favor. They absorb hot and cold, much like a pot or pan taken from the stove or refrigerator. It is not unusual for a tooth under a metal restoration to be sensitive for a few months before the tooth underneath adapts to the temperature changes of the cap. They are also ideal for root canals.
If you are interested in getting a gold cap and would like to speak to an dentist, please consider the Atlanta Dental Group PC. Our dentists are dedicated to their patients health and well being. You are welcome to join our family of patients. Feel free to schedule a free dental consultation appointment with our Atlanta Cosmetic Dentist, Dr Mark Allan Padolsky by calling us at 404.874.7428.