Buying Dental Gold

Over the years, dental gold has grown increasingly common and thanks to many popular celebrities, the trend continues. Often called "grills," "grillz," or "slugs," gold teeth have become the ideal way for many individuals to express their own personal style. But what exactly is dental gold and where and how does one buy it? Follow these helpful tips.

History

• Until recently, American dentists used gold primarily for filling cavities and creating crowns. Due to its durable nature, gold was considered an ideal substance for tooth replacement. After more natural-looking methods were developed (amalgam and porcelain), they became more commonly used. However, in certain areas of the world, gold teeth have long been a type of status symbol, reserved only for the wealthy. In the 1980s, however, many American hip-hop artists took notice of the trend and began sporting "bling" in their mouths.

Significance

• Most people who wear dental gold do so because they believe it is attractive. Although everyone does not share this opinion, gold teeth, as all types of jewelry, allow the wearer to showcase his sense of style and individuality. Many other people see it as sign of wealth and dress their dental gold up with jewels, such as diamonds and rubies.

Types

• In most cases, gold teeth are not actually implanted into the wearer's mouths, but instead, are removable sets (sort of like a retainer) that can be easily removed if needed. Typically, when a person purchases any type of dental gold, he will also receive a molding kit, which is used to customize the wearer's teeth or tooth to perfectly fit his mouth.

Misconceptions

• Contrary to what many people may think, real dental gold is not cheap. In fact, genuine gold teeth--available in 14kt, 18kt and 22kt--can cost as much as $200 per tooth. Depending upon the style and additional stones used in the design, it can be even more costly--a set of 10 gold teeth, for example, is usually around $2,000. Add diamonds to those 10 and the cost almost doubles.

Considerations

• When making a decision regarding where to purchase dental gold, the most important consideration one should make is quality. Although there are many reputable companies who sell high quality dental gold, there are several others out there whose products are of low, cheap quality. In addition, it's important to make sure that the company you purchase dental gold from includes a customization kit, so that they fit your mouth correctly. See the below sites for purchase information.