Many things help enhance your confidence, including a nice car, expensive clothes, traveling, and quality education. However, I am sure that you will agree that having bright, white, and healthy teeth is the best way to elevate your self-esteem and personality.
One of the best options to stand out and show your boldness and uniqueness is to have at least one gold tooth. Getting permanent gold teeth is a simple and standard procedure in dentistry nowadays. Still, you should know their good and bad sides before the final decision. Now, let’s discover how to get permanent gold teeth.
History
In ancient times gold teeth were common among prominent people. For example, scientists have discovered mummies with gold teeth that were around 5,000 years old.
On the other hand, African tribes looked at gold teeth in a totally different way. They considered such a choice as a protection against evil spirits. In the 18th century, gold teeth symbolized wealth in western civilizations.
Surprisingly, this trend has continued to date. Nowadays, gold teeth became very popular and fashionable thanks to famous sportsmen like Mike Tyson and Jack Johnson.
Permanent Gold Teeth
Permanent gold teeth can entirely replace the natural ones. They are basically bonded to a jawbone and function like regular teeth. You can use them for chewing and clean them as usual but without a possibility to remove them.
The visible tooth part is made of gold, and it can be encrusted with jewels or precious metals. Before picking out a particular model, be aware that a few types of permanent gold teeth are available on the market.
Types
- Gold crown – The most common permanent gold teeth type is a gold crown, also known as a tooth cap. It replaces the natural crown of your tooth and is custom-made to fit a tooth and cover it entirely.
- Implant – This type is made of a gold alloy and consists of a metal screw that replaces the tooth root and a gold crown. The metal screw is surgically attached to a jawbone with a socket to hold it in place.
- Gold tooth filling – It is the least common type you can find available. Since the procedure means filling those parts of teeth that are not visible, this type is more a matter of preference.
Popularity
Today people don’t decide to get permanent gold teeth quite often. If they do, they get one done, rarely two and wear it as a status symbol. Gold grills are more popular.
Artists like rappers and pop singers choose them as a part of their style since they provide a bit of a dangerous look. The crucial advantage of this option is that you can remove the grill quickly and at any time.
Care
Taking care of gold teeth is not much different from cleaning your natural teeth. It is necessary to brush them at least twice a day, but be careful since gold alloys with higher gold amounts are soft.
Therefore, you need to avoid nuts or chewing gums, especially if you have 18K gold teeth. Gold teeth are like any other jewelry, so you should maintain them regularly.
Permanent Gold Teeth Cost
Although appealing, this accessory is quite expensive. The total price depends on used material, gold teeth type, the number of teeth you want, and your dental health.
As always, you can expect that a more complex procedure is more expensive. Gold teeth require more time to be done, more material to be used, and an expert dentist.
On average, gold crowns cost between $1,000 and $1,200, whereas gold implants can cost up to $5,000.
Used material
As you have probably known, gold is divided into pure gold and gold alloy. Pure gold is the most expensive option, while the gold alloy price drops as the gold amount in an alloy decreases. The gold type you choose will significantly affect overall costs.
Finally, you can choose some unique design, like a gold tooth with a jewel, when you plan to pay more for an unforgettable impression. Since the dentist always calculates the price for one tooth, you will get the final amount by multiplying the number of teeth you want to replace.
Dental health
You need to have healthy teeth to get permanent gold ones. If you have some issues like bleeding gums, a rotten tooth, or a cavity, it is necessary to fix them before the procedure. Unfortunately, it will increase the final bill.
Permanent Gold Teeth Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
Gold was used in dentistry since the 19th century, and there are many reasons for it. The primary advantages of this option include:
- Gold teeth are easy to mold and are almost as hard as natural teeth
- Since gold is biometric, your body won’t reject it as a foreign object
- Gold is a long-lasting material that doesn’t rust over time, so you can expect your teeth will last for at least 20 years
- This precious metal doesn’t shrink or loses its color
- It can’t damage surrounding teeth in any way possible
- There is no need to use a special toothpaste to clean gold teeth
- Gold has good antibacterial properties, so you can be sure it won’t cause any health issues or compromise your oral health
As you have already known, your teeth get in contact with hot and cold food and beverage all the time. That almost always leads to their expansion and contracting until they eventually crack. Since gold is strong, the chances this will happen with gold teeth are at the minimum.
Many people can develop allergies to metal over time that often cause problems like bleeding gums or nerve problems. Therefore, gold is a perfect choice since it is one of the most hypoallergenic materials.
However, you should be careful with gold alloys containing nickel since this metal often causes an allergic reaction.
Cons
Having permanent gold teeth doesn’t ruin your natural teeth, but they have a few disadvantages you need to take care of.
Contrary to popular belief, you still need to continue taking proper oral hygiene and refrain from smoking.
Some people find gold less attractive or even tacky. Often, people with gold teeth find it difficult to get a job because employers think of them as unprofessional.
Removing gold teeth is very painful and costly. Once you have them removed, you need to find another permanent option to fill in the parts where gold teeth used to be.
Sometimes, you can face unpleasant side effects from gold teeth. They are pretty rare but almost always linked to allergies when used gold alloy contains nickel, followed by redness, swelling, and irritation.
Gold Teeth Applying Procedure
Applying gold teeth procedure depends on your natural teeth condition and on what gold teeth type you want. It will also be different if you have a rotten or broken tooth or one misses. The regular procedure usually includes a few possible steps:
- Removing a natural tooth crown
- Making an impression of the remaining tooth
- Cleaning the cavity
- Drilling out the dead parts of the natural tooth
- Removing a tooth entirely
Keep in mind that applying gold implants is an invasive procedure that requires surgery and local anesthetic use. In addition, the time of recovery can significantly vary depending on procedure complexity and used material.
Gold vs. Porcelain
Porcelain teeth are a trendy type since their look is the closest to the natural teeth. On the other hand, they are not as strong as gold teeth, so they can easily get damaged or even crack.
Dentists sometimes bond porcelain crowns to a jawbone with a base made of some precious metal, but in that case, the precious metal is often visible under the porcelain cap.
Unlike gold teeth, porcelain teeth are more affordable. Since they are natural-looking and their color matches other teeth, it is often hard to spot them at first glance.
Permanent Gold Teeth vs. Removable Grills
There is another gold teeth option that is removable, well known as grills. They usually cover front teeth, and you can remove them any time you want. Still, they come with more significant risks than permanent gold teeth.
They damage the natural teeth, and plaque and bacteria quickly build up under them. Therefore, you need to clean them often and wear them for a limited time. On the other hand, the gold grills cost less compared to permanent teeth.
Summary
Permanent gold teeth are a safe and unique way to elevate your smile quality. Unlike gold grills, they are less risky for your health. In addition, the gold alloy will make them durable, and there is no need to fix them repeatedly. Even though this option looks a little bit extravagant, being different is sometimes an excellent thing.
On the other hand, gold teeth are permanent, meaning that you can’t use your natural teeth the same way, plus their removal is a costly and complicated process. Therefore, you should always consider your plans and budget and consult your dentist before making a final decision.
