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What are Tooth Jewels?
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Tooth jewels are gems that are affixed to the front of teeth in cosmetic dentistry practices. In most cases, the jewels are affixed to the top front teeth. People who wear tooth jewels may decide to have them added to just one tooth or to multiple teeth. In some cases, tooth jewels are made out of real precious stones such as diamonds. In other cases the jewels are made out of manufactured crystals.
In many cases, tooth jewels are worn by people who have straight, white teeth who want to show off this feature. They are worn by celebrities as well as people who are image-conscious who want to show off a sparkling smile. Depending on the type of product that is used to adhere the jewel to the tooth, the jewel may stay in place for a matter of weeks or months. Another factor that affects how long a jewel will stay in place is the amount of stress that the wearer puts on the jewel. Stress can come in the form of eating especially crunchy foods or very chewy foods.
When a dentist prepares to affix a tooth jewel, there are a number of factors that are considered. One of the most important factors is the health of the tooth to which the jewel will be attached. If the enamel of the tooth is not in good condition, a dentist might either recommend that the patient forgo the procedure or choose another tooth that has a better quality of enamel. In most cases, applying and wearing tooth jewels will not damage the enamel of the teeth. This is especially true of tooth jewels that are applied by trained dentists and less true of tooth jewels that are applied using an at-home kit, without the consultation of a dentist.
Tooth jewels that are affixed with an adhesive can usually be applied without the use of anesthesia as the procedure is relatively painless. There are some procedures in which a dentist will drill a small hole in the tooth in order to nest the jewel into the tooth. These are less common and can cause pain. The drawback to this kind of procedure is that the hole remains when the tooth jewel is removed or falls out. The benefit of this procedure is that it may help the tooth jewel to stay in place for a longer period of time, which is useful for those who are committed to maintaining their tooth jewels.
Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
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Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
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![Tooth jewels may be a popular choice for people who have straight, white teeth.]()
By: NobiliorTooth jewels may be a popular choice for people who have straight, white teeth. -
![Some tooth jewel procedures do require a dentist to drill a small hole in the tooth.]()
By: Valeriy VelikovSome tooth jewel procedures do require a dentist to drill a small hole in the tooth.
Discussion Comments
@Grivusangel -- I guess it's just a cultural thing to have tooth jewels. I have heard of people who have removable gold grills, which makes much more sense to me. I mean, they're still expensive, but at least they're not permanent. I wouldn't spend the money on something like that if I had the money, but if it's removable, I guess you can look at it as something like a toupee or similar. It's strictly cosmetic and it's not permanent.
This trend is totally unattractive and when I think about how it might damage one's teeth, it makes me shudder. Straight, white teeth are very attractive. Gold or jewelry on teeth? Not so much. I just don't get the whole "bling on my grill" thing.
I can't believe people spend that kind of money on something so totally superficial and shallow. It's just beyond any good sense. Spending large amounts of money on something that makes one look worse is alien to my thought processes.
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