Cosmetic dentistry has become one of the fastest growing industries in today’s modern day and accessory trends have accompanied it hand in hand.Tooth gems, being the newest craze, has taken the dentistry practice to another level.Not only are dentist transforming smiles but they are adding sparkle.
Now, you might be asking yourself, what are tooth gems?
Essentially, they are tiny jewels glued to the teeth that function as an accent for your grin. Tooth gems are only a few millimeters wide, but they can really enhance your megawatt smile. The trend popped up in the 90s, but it has made a comeback in recent years with a number of celebrities sporting them.
As more and more young patients consider getting themselves a tooth gem, we would like to remind them that these could also potentially be the most dangerous beauty trend ever.
What are tooth gems?
A tooth gem is a small rhinestone jewel attached to the surface of a tooth using an adhesive. Some are small stones in the center of the tooth and some are jewel-encrusted caps that people elect to place over their teeth. Some people like to go for the grill, which is a decorative cover that fits over most of the person’s front teeth.
The gems are temporary – there’s no drilling involved – but permanent issues can arise if they are not installed properly.
The Bonding Process
A more lastingprocess called the diamond bonding process involves permanently attaching one or more diamonds to the teeth in a manner that is similar to dental bonding for a filling. The diamonds can be placed up front where everyone can see them, slightly towards the back or on the bottom where they are less noticeable. While the embellishment is considered to be permanent, it can be taken off with dental tools.
Molly Bennet, the owner of Identity Body Piercing in Chicago, said that tooth gems fall into a ‘gray area’ between the cosmetics and tattoo-and piercing industries. Many people consider their installation to be a cosmetic procedure because it doesn’t involve drilling holes into the tooth. According to a spokesperson, the American Dental Association doesn’t currently have a policy on tooth gems or jewelry.
Services from the Beverly Hills-based dentist Dr. Anjali Rajpal come at a higher price, but her clients are willing to pay a premium for peace of mind. Dr. Rajpal’s services range anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per tooth, depending on the type and number of jewels. She says that she wasn’t trained to apply tooth gems in dental school, “but because it’s on the teeth, I feel it’s much better handled by someone like me who knows what they’re working with.”She also claims the placement is superficial as it causes no damage to the tooth. Patients can brush their teeth like normal and practice normal oral hygiene.
Beauty boutiques like GBY Beauty in California offer tooth gem services and according to their website, they use 100% Swarovski crystals. They offer diamonds upon request for a temporary and painless application and as a budget-friendly alternative, there are also inexpensive DIY kits available. These are comparable to nail gem kits, and they include adhesive and various adornments.
The Cost
One real diamond inserted on a tooth costs about $2000 depending on the size and quality of the diamond. Dr. Rajpal places one diamond as well as provides custom-built grills. These fancy full-mouth gears are jewel-encrusted plates that sit on the teeth. Unlike diamond bonding, grills require two dental visits, since digital impressions are taken of the mouth and sent to a lab for creation. Then, the patient returns to have them fitted. The cost of a full grill is between $10,000 to $150,000 depending on the number of jewels and how complex the design is for the grill.
The Risks
With a gem, there is a possibility that the person may develop a discolored area on the surface of the tooth. Over time, jeweled gems and caps may wear away the enamel, increasing the risk of tooth decay and infection. Without proper dental care, such as regular brushing and flossing, dental jewelry offers convenient hiding places for stray food particles and harmful bacteria. Finally, many people apply gems to their teeth using home DIY kits. This increases the chance of damaging the tooth and causing complications, such as tooth decay.
Still, while these gems may be small, they can also lead to big problems if they aren’t properly applied. And it’s hard to know every ingredient in the adhesive. As a result, they can be potentially harmful for use in the mouth or on your teeth.
Dentists have shared their concerns about the risks. “It’s never safe or healthy to put foreign objects on your teeth,” says SmileDirectClub’s Chief Clincal Officer Dr. Jeffrey Sulitzer, DMD. “This can negatively affect the ability to chew or eat – or you could accidently even swallow it.”
With dental grills, the risks are even more serious. Most grills are crafted using base metals, and as a result they may cause an allergic reaction or irritate the gums. If worn longer than recommended, a grill can damage the surface of the teeth, removing enamel and exposing your teeth to bacteria.
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