We have previously discussed why gold is valuable. It’s luster, and color make it a prized possession throughout the world. Cultures throughout the history of the world have long prized gold, uniting them against language divides and time. It conducts electricity, doesn’t tarnish, is easily drawn into wires or hammered into sheets, can be melted, fused with other minerals, and can be made into heavily detailed shapes.
Today we are going to examine the medial usages of gold. As with electronics, and jewelry (both of which we have previously written about, and you can read if you are interested) gold’s intrinsic properties are what makes it so valuable.
While gold is not the most economically valuable metal, per se, when it comes to dentistry it is valued for different reasons. First, the cost to prepare gold for dental use is much less than other metals. While iron would be cheaper theoretically, it does not stand up under use the way that gold does. Iron fillings would need a blacksmith just to fix your mouth, and to be removed after rusting within days. Gold doesn’t rust, and it barely corrodes. It doesn’t change the taste in your mouth either, and is aesthetically pleasing. Not only does gold look better than other options, but it performs at a much higher rate than others.
Every article has touched upon another reason why gold is so vital in dentistry, and it will be touched upon here again. Gold is easily alloyed to other metals to improve its already substantial qualities. Gold alloys are thus found in fillings, crowns, bridges, and even orthodontic appliances. It is nonallergenic, and is very easy manipulated by dentists.
Gold is used, and valued, in traditional medical applications as well. It’s usage as a drug is vital in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Gold isotopes are also used in the guidance of cancer treatments as well. Gold is used to remedy conditions which cause a patient not to be able to close their eyes completely. Here, gold is implanted into a patient’s eyelids to give them added weight to close. Gold is picked because of it being chemically inert, and it’s nonallergenic properties. The usage of gold in diagnosing multiple conditions is vital to the medical field. It is used as a beta emitter in the body, helping to guide doctors on the correct path of treatment.
Finally, gold is incredibly valuable as the tools in which doctors perform surgical procedures. As we previously discussed gold is found in computers, electronics, and almost every device on Earth. The operating room is no different. Surgical instruments contain gold parts, and so do the life-support devices that assist in surgery. Gold is vital to the health of the world in this way.
What do you think about the uses of gold in medical devices and dentistry? Share this story, and let us know in the comments!