The use of gold crowns as a dental restoration is not a new practice. It actually dates back 4,000 years in Southeast Asia on Luzon which is an island in the Phillipines. Scholars have found that this practice was popular among chiefs and the political ruling class of the period. The appearance of gold teeth was a symbol of wealth, power and status.

Around 700 BC an ancient Italian civilization called the Etruscans also used gold crowns to restore teeth. Researchers have found Etruscan remains with artificial teeth held in place with gold wire and banding them next to adjacent teeth. This is the first example of dental bridges.

In 1903 Dr Charles Land introduced the all porcelain jacket crown. An invention he patented in 1889 and is the first rendering of the modern dental crown we know today.

The use of gold is not a cosmetic dental solution. Yet the benefits of the gold crown are that it does not require as much tooth reduction as a porcelain crown, This is important because less chance of dental sensitivity. Also, it preserves more tooth structure which is better for the life of the tooth. The gold crown also creates a better seal because of it ability to be burnished to the tooth margins which increases the life of the restoration.

Many people are not always aware of the benefits of the gold crown yet it is a ancient material that we still use today in modern practice.