The language of style is no longer subtle. In an era where minimalism once reigned, the pendulum has swung decisively in the other direction: maximalism. From statement nails and stacked jewellery to experimental makeup and personalised fashion, self-expression today is louder, shinier, and unapologetically visible. Youngsters today focus on self-expression to showcase their individuality in this fast-moving society. In this landscape, the body itself becomes an extension of personal branding, where even the smallest details are reimagined. And increasingly, that experimentation is extending to places once left untouched, including the one feature most people notice first: the smile.
What was once limited to orthodontic correction is now stepping into the realm of style as the faculties of dentistry start marketing teeth accessories through social media. These accessories are finding their way into conversations around personal aesthetics in metro cities.
What are these? “Tooth gems, grills and even tooth tattoos — all of these have no clinical significance and are purely done for aesthetics. These are style statements, and they are largely influenced by pop culture,” says Dr Namradha Umapathy, dental surgeon at Atom Dental, Anna Nagar. While the trend may seem new, its roots go back more than a decade. Namradha recalls how one of her patients’ mothers had gotten tooth gems in the early 2010s, and adds that this renewed visibility is closely tied to social media. “People always had the interest, but they didn’t know where to get it done. Now, with dentists posting more on Instagram, people are becoming aware that these procedures are easily available,” she adds.
Bengaluru-based Dr Misba Afreen Syed, a dentist who previously practiced in Chennai, situates the trend within a broader shift in beauty culture. “Hair, skin, nails, teeth — they’re all are visible, and literally every part has been worked on. We bedazzle every part of our body. So now teeth are also getting on the trend,” she says.
The range of options is wide and constantly evolving. From single Swarovski crystals to elaborate, custom-made grills cast like jewellery, the possibilities are expansive. “Under gems, you can customise it to anything you want — the shape of the stone, the colour. And with grills, you have even more flexibility. It’s cast like jewellery, so you can design it in any shape or form,” Dr Misba explains. The price for these procedures varies from professional, design and material — silver, gold, Swarovski crystals or any other lead-free oral safe crystals — however, they are available starting from Rs 1,500.
The procedure itself remains relatively simple for most clients, adding to its appeal. For tooth gems, the tooth is first cleaned and prepped, followed by the application of bonding agents and a dental composite to fix the gem. The process can take anywhere between a few minutes and under an hour, depending on the design. Grills, however, require a more elaborate approach, involving scans or impressions, model-making, and casting, often taking several days. While gems can last anywhere between a couple of months and nearly a year, depending on maintenance, experts advise limiting continuous wear to around six months, with a short break before opting for another application. Repeating the procedure on the same tooth too frequently is discouraged to prevent enamel damage.
Aesthetic awareness
Dental professionals emphasise that this trend cannot be entirely disconnected from oral health. “Food accumulation happens much more easily around tooth gems, and plaque formation is quicker. If it is not maintained properly, the enamel can demineralise, and it can lead to the initial stages of cavities,” warns Namradha. However, she is quick to clarify that risks are largely manageable with proper maintenance of oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist. Removal of tooth gems requires professional intervention to avoid damaging the enamel. Tooth grills, on the other hand, can be made removable, just like jewellery.
The growing popularity of the trend has also opened doors beyond clinical settings. Tattoo artist Pavataarini, founder of Ouroboro Tattoo Studio in the city, represents a new wave of practitioners bringing a fashion-forward lens to tooth gems. Her entry into the space was personal as much as professional. She says, “I’ve been insecure about my smile, so I mainly wanted to learn it for myself. With tattoos and piercings, they’re permanent and painful. I wanted something that’s not permanent and also painless.”
Unlike a strictly clinical approach, her work also focuses on aesthetics and individuality. “I don’t just place it in the centre of the tooth. I look at how a person smiles, whether they want it fully visible or slightly hidden. My fashion background helps me guide them on what will actually look good,” adds the NIFT alumna.
The clientele, too, reflects this intersection. These are commonly preferred by people under the age of 35 and who work in creative or entrepreneurial fields. “A lot of people want to get it, but they hesitate because of their jobs since these are not completely professional,” says Pavataarini.
Clients are getting as creative as they can while choosing their designs. “The most popular (design) is a butterfly. If you want multiple gems, we can do a star. I recently got to do something a little bit innovative. There was a person who wanted a South Indian-inspired gem. So we created a bindi-style work using a red raindrop-shaped gem and one round gem,” she recalls, adding that she did a customised tooth gem for Paal Dabba, an indie artiste. “Since he had nice big teeth, we were able to recreate the design of paal dabba (milk container) using three multi coloured gems.”
Sathya, a 23-year-old, recalls getting his first tooth gems from Pavataarini, “She (Pavataarini) had the tooth gems herself. That was the first time I came to know about them. They were really cool. I always thought that you had to replace your whole tooth — like the one these rappers have.” But after getting to know how easy the procedure is, he made an impulsive decision to get it done. Recently, he got a pink heart, a silver star and a blue dot tooth gem.
The professionals emphasise that people need to make an informed choice of where they are getting the procedure done. Dr Misba concludes, “In chasing trends, you don’t want to do something that’s going to irreversibly damage your teeth. Don’t go for the cheapest option, go for the safest one.”
Though the city has been conservative about this concept, just as with tattoos once, tooth accessories are navigating the space between aspiration and acceptance. For now, they remain a niche that sparkles.