How do you know whose ashes are in that urn? And what happens
to gold fillings and metal plates when a person is cremated? Here's
what's really left of a body after a cremation, according to an expert.
Losing a loved one is never easy, and often leaves families in a state of shock and profound grief.
In many cases, the planning and costs associated with the funeral and burial only compound an
already difficult situation. The average cost of a funeral with burial is nearly $8,000. Meanwhile,
services including cremation are on average $7,000, based on 2022 reporting from Forbes.
As a result, cremation has reportedly now replaced traditional burial as the
most popular choice, as grieving families seek more cost-effective and efficient solutions.
Although cremation has become increasingly popular in the last decade, many people are
unaware of the specific details of the process. For instance, many are unaware of how the body
will be prepared, and what happens if a loved one has non-biological objects surgically placed
inside their body. But as far as metal plates, rods, and staples go, they are typically left
in place because the cremation process will not completely dissolve the metal. However,
those objects are then separated from a person's remains following cremation.
Gold and silver fillings will also likely melt during cremation as they generally contain alloys.
For this reason, fillings are usually left intact before the cremation process begins,
unless specifically requested by family members. Pacemakers, on the other hand, have to be removed,
as they can explode during the cremation process. This can cause extensive damage to the furnace,
making the process less safe. Silicone breast implants are also generally removed
before cremation, as they can adhere to the other remains during the process.
Crematoriums are also required by law to place a person's remains in a container, which is usually
a cardboard box or special casket. The body is then placed inside the cremator, which is a
high-powered furnace lined with heat-resistant refractory bricks or similar material.
The furnace in the cremator is fueled by natural gas or propane,
and is lit until the temperature reaches 1500 to 1900°F. The entire cremation process is
generally complete within 2 and a half hours. Speaking exclusively with Grunge, Sarah Chavez,
Executive Director of the leading death acceptance organization Order of the Good Death, said,
"What is left after cremation is usually some brittle bone fragments and ash."
Typically, it takes approximately 30 minutes for the remains to cool before they can be
further processed, Cremation Solutions reports. Once they've cooled down, Chavez tells Grunge,
"[The remains] are then carefully swept out by a crematory operator."
The bone fragments and ash are then run through a magnetic field to remove any metal fragments,
including surgical implants or parts of the casket. Everything that's left
is then placed into a so-called cremulator, As Chavez explains,
"[The cremulator] further breaks down the
remaining bone fragments into what we commonly call 'ashes.'"
"Goodnight, sweet prince."
The processed ashes tend to resemble sand in texture and are generally a shade of gray. Once complete,
the ashes of an average adult male weigh around 6 pounds, while the ashes of an
adult female weigh approximately 4 pounds. The final weight of the ashes, however,
depends more on a person's height at the time of their death as opposed to their weight.
One of the more common questions about cremation is how family members can be
certain they are receiving the remains of their loved ones. To safeguard the process,
crematoriums are regulated by law and are required to maintain valid licences to ensure
that mix-ups don't happen. A vast majority of crematoriums also use metal identification tags,
which are placed on the body prior to cremation and remain with the
body throughout the entire process. That identification tag is removed from the bone
fragments and attached to the container that is returned to the family or placed inside.
"And then we could scatter her ashes some place she really liked."
According to the Order of the Good Death, some crematories will allow families to witness a
cremation if they are more comfortable being present during the process. After
the cremated remains are returned to the family, there are several options
for what to do next. While some prefer to bury the ashes of their loved ones,
others prefer to scatter them in a special place, or keep them in an urn. It's also possible to
have ashes turned into pieces of keepsake jewelry, which can be worn on a daily basis.