Dental scrap recycling: frequently asked questions

The questions dental practices ask us most often, answered directly. Something missing? Write to contact@swissrecyclingmetals.ch or call +44 7351 756674, Monday to Saturday, 08:00–20:00 CET.

What crowns are worth

Are dental crowns actually worth anything?

Yes, including so-called white crowns. A porcelain-fused-to-metal crown is a metal substructure covered with cosmetic ceramic: the visible colour tells you nothing about what lies underneath. That substructure frequently contains silver, palladium, platinum and sometimes even gold. Only all-ceramic crowns (zirconia, lithium disilicate) and resin crowns contain no precious metal at all. Throwing away a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown therefore often means throwing away value.

How much is a dental crown worth when sold for scrap?

There is no fixed price, and you should be wary of any buyer who quotes one before seeing the item. Value depends on three things: the weight of the metal part, the exact alloy composition, and the metal spot price on the day of analysis. Two crowns of identical weight can be worth very different amounts depending on their gold, palladium or platinum content. Swiss Recycling Metals measures that composition with an XRF spectrometer first, then quotes a figure derived from it.

The analysis method

What is XRF analysis and why does it change the price you get?

X-ray fluorescence spectrometry excites the item with an X-ray beam. Each chemical element then re-emits radiation at its own characteristic energy, which identifies the elemental composition of the object without damaging it. It is the standard method for verifying precious alloys in industry and jewellery. It changes the price because a buyer who knows the true composition no longer needs to protect themselves with a blanket discount.

Why do traditional buyers pay by weight?

Because they do not know what the batch contains. Unable to tell a rich batch from a poor one, they apply a deliberately low flat rate per gram that covers their risk across every batch they receive. The practice with a rich batch effectively subsidises the practice with a poor one, and has no way of checking. Analysing first removes that uncertainty, and with it the discount.

Does the analysis destroy the crowns?

No. XRF analysis is non-destructive: nothing is melted, dissolved or cut into. It is carried out at the practice, in front of the dentist, who watches the result appear. Nothing is sent away sight unseen before a figure is known.

How it works in practice

How does a collection at the practice work?

In three steps. First, the practice books an appointment at a date and time of its choosing, Monday to Saturday between 08:00 and 20:00; a regional representative travels to the practice. Second, each item is analysed on site by XRF scan, in front of the dentist. Third, payment is made immediately, based on the analysis results.

Book an appointment

How do I send crowns if no representative covers my area?

A secure postal kit is sent free of charge on request. It can be ordered from the Swiss Recycling Metals mobile app, available on the App Store and Google Play, or from your client area once you have created an account.

Can the patient keep their own crown or tooth?

Yes. The extracted item belongs to the patient, who may ask to keep it. Only once the patient declines it may the practice treat it as recoverable waste. It is standard practice to obtain that agreement at the time of the procedure.

What decontamination do you expect before sending?

We ask that porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns reach us free of any biological residue and of any dental matter. Only the crown itself should be kept for recycling.

Is there a minimum quantity for a collection or a postal kit?

No, there is no minimum. A single crown is enough to request a postal kit or a visit, and the XRF analysis is carried out the same way whatever the volume.

Regulation

Is dental waste recycling mandatory?

Obligations depend on the country and on the type of waste. In the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2017/852 on mercury, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2024/1849, has in principle prohibited the use of dental amalgam since 1 January 2025, except where the practitioner deems it strictly necessary for the patient's specific medical needs. Obligations covering amalgam waste, amalgam separators, containment, collection contracts, continue to apply after that date. Switzerland has its own special waste regulations, and the United Kingdom retains its own rules following its departure from the EU. Recycling mercury-free crowns and alloys is by contrast a voluntary recovery process. Check the applicable rules with your national dental council.

Do you buy back mercury dental amalgam?

No. Swiss Recycling Metals does not buy mercury dental amalgam. If a practice sends some anyway in a postal kit, the material is recycled through an appropriate channel, but it is not valued: it gives rise to no payment. Amalgam belongs to a hazardous waste stream separate from that of precious metals.

The company

Which countries does Swiss Recycling Metals cover?

Swiss Recycling Metals operates in 13 European countries: Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland. On-site visits are available in areas covered by a representative; elsewhere, a free secure postal kit takes over. Customer support is provided in six languages: French, English, German, Italian, Japanese and Chinese.

What happens to the metals after collection?

They are sorted by composition, then refined by smelting and chemical processes so they can re-enter the industrial supply chain. Waste from a dental practice becomes raw material again, avoiding the equivalent mining extraction: the circular economy applied to precious metals.

Who is Swiss Recycling Metals?

Swiss Recycling Metals Sàrl is a Swiss company headquartered at Rue des Bains 35, 1205 Geneva. It has 32 staff, serves over 11,250 clients and holds a rating of 5.0 out of 5 across 529 Google reviews. It can be reached Monday to Saturday from 08:00 to 20:00 at contact@swissrecyclingmetals.ch, on +44 7351 756674 in the United Kingdom or on +41 76 611 98 20, also via WhatsApp. In 2024, it funded an operation with Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque that allowed Alou to be operated on successfully.

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