Gold Dental Castings: A Historical Overview

In some cultures, gold teeth and caps are a sign of wealth or a means of protecting fortunes, but gold also has its place in the modern history of dental castings.

Wax Technique

• According to family dentist Dr. Martin Spiller, the wax technique--later adapted to dentistry--was likely invented in ancient China or Egypt. Because the method relied on gravity, which was not enough to draw gold into the small area needed to make a tooth filling, it was only suitable for models or large castings (such as replacing a set of teeth).

Gold Leaf

• Gold leaf was first used to fill teeth in 1483 by Giovanni d'Arcoli, but his method was too tedious and expensive for average patients. Only the wealthiest people could afford having their teeth repaired with gold.

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• The "cohesive gold foil technique" was perfected in 1855, says Dr. Spiller. It was much less expensive than gold leaf and made restoration of decayed teeth a real option for a wider range of consumers.

Wax Technique Revived

• In 1907, William H. Taggart invented a centrifugal casting machine which replaced gravity as a method of filling a mold. Small, highly detailed objects such as gold teeth could now be cast using the wax technique.

Binding

• According to Dr. Thomas M. Schulein, a significant discovery in the bonding of resins and cosmetic dentistry was made in 1955 by Dr. Michael Buonocore. He found that applying phosphoric acid to enamel brought about significant bonding of resins. Gold caps could now be held in place more securely.