Here are the most common requests we receive from families who wish to have items returned after the cremation process.
Gold crown & fillings – Most people don’t realize that while the crown may look like a lot of gold, the reality is that very little metal is used. The dental gold is “destroyed” in the process of cremation, meaning that it is melted and combines with the remains in the process and is unrecoverable. The only way to retain the gold is to extract the teeth prior to cremation. If you or your family wishes to hire a dental professional to perform this removal, we will welcome them into our facility to do so.
More information on the reality of gold fillings found here, in a video by founder Caitlin Doughty.
Hip & Knee Implants– Surgical and medical implants that are done surgically are technically the property of the family. We automatically send them off to a medical metal recycling program so that they are not wasted and can see another life, in whatever form that might be. Occasionally, we get a request to have a hip implant or knee returned, and we can certainly accommodate that.
More information on recycling implants found here, in a video by founder Caitlin Doughty.
Whole or UnProcessed Bones – Some families want entire bones (skull, femur, tibia, etc) returned after a cremation. Unfortunately, the process of the cremation renders the bones so brittle that they don’t come back whole. State regulation requires the bones be processed down to "unidentifiable" remains. If you want the ashes returned without being process down to ash (essentially chunks of bones) we are able to request this with the state for a religious or cultural exemption. Please let us know.