At one point you loved your gold crowns, but now you need to get them removed. Whether this is due to a change to some other decorative crown material or because of a need to present a more professional appearance, you need to get those gold crowns off.
Can gold crowns be removed? Yes. Below we will discuss why the removal may need to happen, how much it costs, and the options for what you can put on the teeth after removal.
Do Gold Teeth Need To Be Removed?
Using gold as crown material can actually be a great option. Stronger and more durable than porcelain, gold can likely stay in the mouth without causing a problem for the rest of your life.
Problems That May Require The Removal Of A Gold Crown/Tooth
- Painful/sensitive tooth underneath the crown
- Crown doesn’t fit well/poor occlusion (bite)
- Tooth decay around the margins of the gold tooth
- Chips or holes in the gold surface itself
- A new boss or career that may require removal of front-facing gold hardware
So don’t think that gold teeth/crowns eventually have to be removed. You could easily live the rest of your life with comfortable gold crowns.
How Are Gold Crowns Installed?
So, what’s required in order to get a more permanent gold crown if that’s your goal? The answer to this question depends entirely on the type of addition being sought.
In the case of gold fillings, prior damage such as a cavity must have occurred, and the hole is then cleaned and filled with gold and other adhering agents.
In the case of a full gold tooth replacement, a special tooth made of multiple components, including titanium and gold, is permanently installed. This is usually done by screw directly into the jaw, as touched on by WebMD, thus permanently anchoring the replacement full gold tooth in its proper place.
In other cases still, the natural teeth remain intact, but the goal is to then make them permanently gold in appearance right in place. This is done, in most cases, by installing a gold cap/crown onto the face of the pre-existing teeth.
In order for this cap to permanently stay in place, the enamel of the tooth is typically ground off, thus allowing for a porous inner tooth surface to adhere to as well as room for the cap.
Read: How To Clean Your Gold Teeth
In any case where someone has to go through these kinds of invasive procedures, there is always some pain and discomfort to deal with during and after the procedure. In addition, there is the potential for infection and further complications.
There is also the often-overlooked component of adapting to new mouth structure and the physical feelings in the mouth when talking, smiling, eating and drinking and so on. However, using an experienced, capable dentist who advocates for metallic dental implants should help you to have a positive experience.
How Much Does It Cost To Get Gold Teeth/Crowns Removed?
First, let’s discuss dental insurance. If you don’t currently have it, you should strongly consider looking into quotes. Without dental insurance, you are more likely to not get routine cleanings which can allow problems to go unchecked for years.
Ultimately, this neglect can lead to needing extensive work later in life. The vast majority of dental insurance is now affordable and easy to use. Be sure to contact your dentist prior to your first appointment to know how much a visit is likely to cost with and without insurance for a comparison.
Cost Of A Dental Crown Implant
A gold crown can cost from $600 – $2500 depending on the quality of the gold alloy used and your insurance.
Cost Of A Crown Replacement
If you’re removing your gold crown, something needs to go in its place. A crown removal and replacement will run about $800 – $3,000. You could save money by having a porcelain-to-metallic crown placed instead where some of the gold is preserved.
Read: How Much Does It Cost To Put A Diamond In Your Tooth?
The Removal Process
The process of removing gold dental appliances, just like getting them put in, depends on what type of appliance was installed. It also depends on the condition of your mouth at the time of the removal procedure.
Any conditions where there is already pain, discomfort, irritation, or infection will innately be more involved and require additional care and observation during and after the procedure. Nowadays, dental surgery is far less painless with the use of freezing and local anesthetics.
Like in gold installations, too, actual dentists should be the administrators of any removal procedures. The importance of getting this right is paramount, and only professionals should be involved with installations and removals.
Your dentist will likely make a few cuts in the top and sides of the gold implant to decrease the bond between the crown and the underlying tooth. A special tool is inserting to remove the gold at that point. With good prep, you’ll only feel a bit of pressure when this is actually done.
Once your gold crown is off, the dentist will then prep the tooth for another crown. This could be a porcelain or a different metallic alloy. This entire process is likely to take less than 30 minutes. Any numbness should resolve within a few hours after the procedure.
It is also important to note that with such removals and reversions, the dentist may not always be able to provide the exact, desired outcome you may wish for. As highlighted in great detail by medical journal excerpts from the National Institutes of Health, the exact outcome of such procedures like crown removals can depend on numerous deciding factors.
If the underlying tooth core is too degraded or there are other, related periodontal issues that make simple re-crowning impossible, the tooth may require complete removal and subsequent, complete replacement instead. In every procedure like this, the dentist must assess the possible outcomes and all current factors before just diving in and getting to work.
Another common question at this juncture is “Do I get to keep my gold?”. The answer to this question usually depends on your dentist as well as the condition of the gold once it has been removed. Most dentists will oblige returning your gold to you as long as they can remove any biological material attached to it that can go on to cause a hazard.
If the gold is too damaged or otherwise interlocked with biological material, it will likely have to be disposed of as regular medical waste, and neither the dentist or the patient is supposed to keep it at that point.
After-Effects of Removal
After you’ve had your procedure to remove your old gold tooth add-ons, you will very likely be on pain medication and need to be very mindful of how you use and care for your mouth for a while. The Mayo Clinic gives a great, general rundown of what to expect after an implant procedure, and most of the procedures involving permanent gold removal will likely involve these very kinds of symptoms afterward.
Bruising of the skin and gums, pain at the operation site, bleeding, and swelling are among some of those conditions one can expect. Proper after-care, as prescribed by your dentist, is also critical to making these after-effects quickly go away and getting life back to normal again.
In Conclusion
The decision to get gold teeth or other gold dental appliances is a big one. Likewise, the decision to reverse the commitment made to those gold teeth originally is an even bigger and potentially better one. If this sounds like you, you can be proud about this tough but pivotally positive choice that you’re making now.
You can likely expect some costs involved in this, both through money and time as well as through possible pain and discomfort. However, the pride you will feel along with the eventual results, will be lasting and entirely worth it. In conclusion, always be sure to work closely with a licensed dentist through all of your gold and other dental needs.
