subject: Need Cash? Sell Old Dental Scrap! [print this page] Cash strapped people looking for an immediate profitable solution may not have thought of selling dental work as a potentially lucrative and easy way to make extra money. A dental scrap is a small pieces of dental work and includes fillings, crowns and bridges. These pieces contain gold and other precious metals, which can be sold for profit. Restorations or gold teeth of deceased family members that have needed restoration or replacement can be sold for profit to many dealers who purchase these scraps. These dealers then melt and refine the gold.
Lucrative Dental Pieces
The value and gold content of a scrap varies enormously. The karat value of a dental piece can be anywhere between 10 and 20%. A 10 karat, 40% gold piece can be sold for about $30.00, while a 20 karat piece, with about 80% gold, goes for about $100.00. In addition to the gold value, scraps usually contain other metal alloys that are valuable as well, such as platinum, copper, tin and silver.
The majority of patients are ignorant about the value of their dentistry and merely pay their bills, without realizing the metals the dental alloys they are actually paying for. In addition, dentists usually do not inform patients of the scrap's value. Patients should always ask their dentist about the value of the treatment being performed. Otherwise, the only way to know the value of a dental scrap for certain sure is to have the scrap appraised by a metal broker or jeweller for assessment.
Having Scraps Appraised
As selling old pieces becomes more and more popular, jewellers, pawnshops and dental labs have been emerging across the country. In addition, there are many metal refiners are willing to purchase old scraps as well. Most of them usually require scraps to be sent via registered and insured mail for appraisal. The gold content is then tested, and if gold is detected, a standard payout is given to the buyer. Independent scrap buyers tend to be conservative because dental alloy testing tend so produce a higher gold content, in favour of the buyer. Payouts may be lower because the buyers must also employ a middleman to refine and met the gold prior to resale.
A better solution is to sell the scraps directly to a precious metals refiner, who usually yields a higher payout. The value of metals is better assayed and payouts can be higher. A quick online search can lead to a reputable list of refiners who will purchase a dental scrap.
