A 45 year old male presents to the dental clinic with an abraded tooth. He wants gold to be filled in that tooth. On examination, it is revealed that the tooth has cervical abrasion and class V inlay is placed. What percentage of gold is present in the restoration placed?

There are four types of gold alloy - Types I, II, III, and IV. Type I gold has the highest concentration of gold at 98%. It is considered a “soft” gold and is indicated in non-stress bearing situations such as Class V inlays. Type II gold contains approximately 77% gold and is typically used with gold inlays and restorations with finishable margins, as these alloys can be burnished to attain maximum marginal integrity. Type III gold, with a concentration of 72% gold, is the most commonly used gold alloy in dentistry. It is used to fabricate crowns and fixed partial dentures. Type IV gold has the lowest concentration of gold (69%), and was used for the fabrication of removable partial denture frameworks at one time, but rarely for that purpose now. It is still used for the fabrication of custom cast dowel and cores, as it is the strongest of the gold alloys and is less expensive, due to the lower concentration of gold.