About the AAGFO
Our mission is to promote the preservation of natural teeth through quality dental treatment. The Academy encourages education, research, practice, and teaching.
History
The Academy was formed in 1952. From talking with older members, they felt that by forming an Academy dedicated to the use of direct gold, they could keep its use at a higher profile within the dental profession. By creating the “Journal of the American Academy of Gold Foil Operators,” all the articles written in any year would be submitted to them rather than be sent to other journals. Their own journal would give them higher exposure.
With all the changes that arrived in dentistry through the 1950s and 1960s, direct gold started to look a little old. It is a demanding material. Other materials handled easier and produced good results. Those pressures have only grown in the present time.
In 1972, the “Journal of the American Academy of Gold Foil Operators” became the journal “Operative Dentistry” with the formation of the Academy of Operative Dentistry (AOD). From that time on, “Operative Dentistry” has published articles on direct and cast gold within their wider scope.
Today, the Academy – though smaller than in the past – has a mix of younger members and those who have been members for many years. Those older members have memories of meeting many of the founders of the Academy.
Many dentists are intrigued when they see these restorations and are impressed by how long they have served the patient. There are many examples of direct gold restorations being 40 years old; and if they reach 40, they will reach 70 or more.
The Academy is becoming much more involved in helping courses be presented, with plans to have a short course associated yearly with the Annual Meeting. Of course, there are lots of challenges in procuring many of the materials that are needed to place direct gold foil restorations. The Academy is working to find solutions to the problems of instruments and materials.
Current Officers & Councilors
Dr. David Bridgeman
President
Dr. Richard Brinker
President-elect
Dr. Margaret Webb
Vice President
Dr. Tim Toepke
1st Councilor
Dr. Jody Brennan
2nd Councilor
Dr. Grant Mason
3rd Councilor
Dr. Eric Morrison
Secretary-Treasurer
Chevy Chase, MD
drgold@aol.com
(302) 537-7052
Dr. David Thorburn
Immediate Past President
Vancouver, BC
drdavidthorburn@gmail.com
(604) 731-5535
Why Gold?
This is an old question that never disappears. When discussing direct gold restoration, why not start with its physical properties.
INERT | Pure gold is virtually inert, so there is very little interaction with the patient although there are a few rare patients who are allergic to gold. There is no corrosion or interaction in the oral environment. Recently there has been a suggestion that gold might have a slight antibacterial effect.
THERMAL EXPANSION | The coefficient of thermal expansion for gold is just a little larger than that of tooth structure. A much closer match than amalgam or composite resin, the other direct materials.
PRESS FIT | The goal when placing a direct gold restoration is to condense the gold against the preparation walls to create an intimate fit. By having the gold pressed tight against the walls combined with the very close match in thermal coefficient creates a situation where there will be no micro leakage due to thermal cycling.
Direct gold’s success over time is a combination of the tight adaptation of the filling material, combined with the harmonized thermal expansions to prevent leakage, and its inertness (no corrosion).