That little envelope of old gold crowns, a bridge from a dentist visit years ago, or a relative's dental gold tucked in a drawer — it's easy to assume it's worthless. It isn't. Dental gold is real gold, and at 2026 prices even a few grams can be worth a meaningful amount of cash. This guide explains what dental gold actually is, how it's tested and priced, and how to make sure you get a fair payout for it.
What dental gold actually is
Gold has been used in dentistry for over a century because it doesn't corrode, is gentle on surrounding teeth, and lasts for decades. Dental gold isn't pure — it's an alloy blended with metals like palladium, platinum, silver, and copper for strength. Depending on the era and the dentist, dental alloys typically fall somewhere between 10K and 22K equivalent purity, which is why testing matters: two crowns that look identical can carry very different gold content.
| Dental item | Typically contains gold? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gold crowns | Yes | Often the highest gold content |
| Gold bridges | Yes | More metal, more total weight |
| Inlays / onlays | Yes | Smaller, but still valuable |
| Porcelain-fused-to-metal | Sometimes | Gold under the porcelain; testing confirms |
You don't have to clean or separate anything
A common worry is that you need to remove the tooth, scrub off cement, or somehow separate the gold first. You don't. A professional buyer tests the metal and accounts for any attached tooth material or porcelain when weighing, so the non-gold parts aren't counted against you unfairly. Bring your crowns and bridges exactly as they are — there's nothing to prep.
How dental gold is priced
Dental gold is priced with the same transparent formula as any other gold:
Weight (grams) × tested purity × current gold price per gram = melt value
Because dental alloys vary so much, testing is the key step — it establishes the actual purity so the math is honest. In 2026, gold has traded in the range of roughly $3,800 to $4,100 per troy ounce (about $122 to $132 per gram of pure gold), and it moves daily, so always check the live spot price on our homepage before you sell. If you want the full breakdown of how spot pricing works, see our guide on gold spot price and your payout.
Curious what your dental gold is worth today?
Call (909) 737-2467How to get a fair price
Dental gold is a category where lowball buyers thrive, because most people have no idea what it's worth and assume any offer is a bonus. Protect yourself the same way you would with any gold:
- Insist on testing you can see. A buyer should test purity and weigh in front of you, then show the math.
- Get the payout tied to live spot. A fair offer is a high percentage of that day's melt value — not a flat "we'll give you $20" guess.
- Combine your pieces. A handful of small crowns adds up. Weighing them together gives you the full value.
- Don't accept a mail-away black box. With a shady "mail us your gold and we'll send a check" operation, you never see the scale. If you do sell by mail, use a service that quotes before payment and lets you decline.
Many pawn shops and jewelry stores pay only 50% to 70% of melt. Understanding the difference is exactly why we wrote cash for gold vs. pawn shops, and the same top-dollar tactics in how to sell gold jewelry apply to dental scrap too.
Selling dental gold at SoCal Cash for Gold
At SoCal Cash for Gold, we test and weigh dental gold right at the counter while you watch, price it against the live spot, and pay up to 95% of spot same-day in cash, Zelle, or Venmo. We've been licensed and bonded for over 20 years and buy dental gold in any amount — a single crown or a whole collection. Not in the Inland Empire? Our insured mail-in service lets you send it in, get a no-obligation quote, and only get paid once you approve.
Small dental lots are welcome at our Montclair counter
A lot of dental gold in the Inland Empire never gets sold simply because people think a couple of crowns aren't "worth the trip." They are. We happily buy small lots at our counter at 4994 Holt Blvd in Montclair, whether it's one gold crown from a recent extraction or a jar of a late relative's dental scrap. Retiring dentists and dental offices around Chino, Ontario, Pomona, and Rancho Cucamonga also bring us accumulated crowns, bridges, and inlays cleared out of storage.
Because we test every piece in front of you and pay up to 95% of live spot, even a few grams turns into real same-day cash, Zelle, or Venmo, with no minimum and no obligation. We're licensed and bonded, so estate executors and dental practices can sell with a clear paper trail. Serving the eastern side of the valley? Our Rancho Cucamonga gold buyer page has directions and hours.