Hi Mary. Gold has outstanding properties. The metal can be molten at a relatively low temperature and therefore has the ability to take on any shape or form. Crowns can be made to resemble the anatomy of human teeth, using the lost wax technique. The metal can be cast into a thin wall thickness, which means that only minimal tooth structure is removed when crowning a tooth. This means less sensitivity and trauma for the tooth. It can be polished to a high luster and is unlikely to tarnish, which means that tooth deposits (calculus, bacteria, etc.) cannot attach to the surface. Gold crowns cannot fracture and they wear similar to human teeth during grinding. Gold can be burnished, which means that the crown margins can be polished against the fitting surfaces. Many dentists prescribe gold crowns and in some circumstances may be the best material used. The negative side to gold is that it is less aesthetic in the mouth. The polished yellow surface often reflects the dark oral environment and appears dark. Gold transmits heat more than porcelain. Having gold with amalgam can cause a galvanic effect in the oral environment. Dissimilar metals can spur electrical activity. Here is an article of interest. http://jada.ada.org/cgi/reprint/134/11/1463.pdf Porcelain crowns are more aesthetic. The manufacturing processes are more expensive and the labour costs are higher. Porcelain by itself is too weak to withstand grinding forces and therefore rely on a sub-structure, such as metal, alumina or zirconia. The latter is the latest technology and crowns can be made as thin as 0.3mm. The porcelain that is fused on top of the zirconia wears very similar to human enamel. Porcelain is biocompatible and bacterial accumulation is unlikely when glazed. Both gold and porcelain have pros and cons, but it is my opinion that the future of dentistry is metal free. Our company has already headed this way. We haven’t done a gold crown for our patients in over three years. I hope this answers your question. Regards Michael.