Dental jewelry is an eye-catching accessory that has been used by celebrities such as J Balvin, Madonna, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, and Miley Cyrus. Some users buy them online and share them on social networks. However, several oral health experts warn of the possible risks of these ornaments.
Amanda Lorenzo Rodriguez, a 25-year-old woman who works in a jewelry store, wears four crystals on two teeth that form a butterfly similar to Rosalia’s. She paid $60 for these stones, which usually cost between $80 and $120. Despite the fact that she has been wearing this jewelry for about two months, she occasionally forgets she is wearing it.
Dental jewelry can be of two types: those that are semi-permanently attached to the tooth surface, such as small diamonds or some gold and silver designs, and grillz, metal crowns that adorn one or more teeth and are made of gold, silver, or other precious material with rhinestones embedded in them.
Grillz can be fixed or removable. The fixed ones require a previous preparation of the tooth in which they are placed, which involves wearing down the enamel and part of the dentin. On the other hand, removable ones are made after taking a dental impression. There are also some with a standard shape that are less well adapted to the tooth.
These jewels have evolved and have become unique items of jewelry, like a ring or a pendant. They adapt to each client’s teeth and are easy to remove and put on at any time, although there are those who choose to have them permanently fixed.
Damage to the tooth structure depends on the method of attachment of the jewelry. From a simple cementing on the enamel, the least damaging, to an inlay, in which the tooth surface has to be eroded to fix the jewel. Sometimes, in order to place larger dental jewelry, the thickness of the enamel has to be thinned, which can increase tooth sensitivity. For these reasons, experts advise against this type of jewelry; as patients become tired, the tendency passes and the tooth needs to be repaired.