Tooth jewellery and tooth tattoos

By Dr Medha Gupta

Publication URL: https://www.boldsky.com/health/oral-care/expert-article-on-tooth-jewellery-and-tooth-tattoos-141920.html

Tooth jewellery and tooth tattoos

Introduction

Smile and shine bright like a diamond... and what if it is true? Style, presentability, self-awareness, and fashion have never been more crucial than they are today. Dental jewellery forms an integral part of this changing culture.

Cosmetic dentistry has gained incomparable fame in the past decade. Rampant urbanization, easy access to the media, and disposable incomes have affected our social life. Dental appearance is used to assess a person’s social status, intellect, and job prospects these days.

Let's discuss a few ideas for spicing up your style statement.

1. Tooth gems:

These are glass crystals mounted on an aluminum foil. The multifaceted crystals reflect light and sparkle.

Available colors are diamond, rainbow, ruby, sapphire, emerald, emerald green, aquamarine, pink, and sapphire light.

A few well-known brands in the market are:

• Skyce tooth jewellery ( Ivoclar Vivadent ): clear crystals are bonded to the tooth using a bonding agent.

• Sapphire: white and blue crystals

• Kryst by Swarovski Crystals: These come in 12 colors and 3 different sizes. They are dental-ready. They do not require preparation of the tooth surface before fixing. They can be removed at any time.

2. Twinkles:

These are small attachments made of 24-carat gold, white gold, or precious stones like diamond, sapphires, and ruby. The bonding surface of a twinkle is patented and resembles that of braces. A famous Swedish brand Twindent AB has premium quality twinkles.

3. Tooth rings;

These sre tiny nobel metal rings, attached to the edge of the tooth. They require drilling of the tooth before attachment.

4. Dental grill:

Popular in the American hip-hop culture, this bling piece of jewellery is custom made. Usually casted into a mould, it is made of nobel metals like gold and can be embellished with gems and stones.

It usually covers the front teeth and is a prominent style statement.

5. Tooth tattoos:

Quite a misnomer as no pigments are injected into the enamel. The ceramic cap covering the tooth has the tattoo on it. These tattoos can be removable and permanent.

Saber tooth tiger tattoo, claw tattoo, shark tattoo and images of popular figures are commonly imprinted on the caps.

It is invasive since the tooth needs to be shaped before fixing of the cap.

Forensic jewellery:

On a scientific note, these dental add-ons have gained importance in forensics. They are used in human identification. Tooth stones/rings, tooth tattoos, tongue piercings, lip rings, dental implants, and caps/posts/pins are indispensable to forensics. These usually withstand high temperatures ( incinerations ) and are virtually indestructible.

Conclusion:

Dental jewellery is a quirky piece of ornament that becomes a style statement for teenagers. However, it is mandatory to maintain good oral hygiene when sporting them.

References:

1. Patil AG. Tooth jewellery: A simple way to add sparkle to your smile. Ind J Dent Adv. 2010 Oct 1;2(4):356-58.

2. Bhatia S, Gupta N, Gupta D, Arora V, Mehta N. Tooth jewellery: Fashion and dentistry go hand in hand. Indian Journal of Dental Advancements. 2015 Oct 1;7(4):263-8.

3. Gandhi SR, Gandhi R, Minase D. Passion Of Fashion–Oral Jewellery. Journal of Interdisciplinary Dental Sciences. 2020 Jan;9(1):01-6.

4. Yadav R, Yadav A, Rai R, Pahuja M, Solanki S. Gold tooth tattoos: Identifying features in forensic odontology. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research: JCDR. 2016 Jul;10(7):ZJ08.