Proper oral hygiene is one way to ensure a megawatt smile. The other? Tooth gems, which have recently surged in popularity. In the latest episode of Macro Beauty, Ebonee Davis tried the bedazzling service on her teeth for the first time.
"I think it's a cool way to customise your smile," Davis says. "I think of myself as a rockstar, so a tooth gem fits into that category." To decorate her smile, Davis went to Linsday Pierce, the owner of Wax Melrose in Los Angeles. "In the last five to six years, I've seen an influx in people wanting tooth gems," Pierce says.
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The service is truly customisable based on your style. To start, Pierce consulted her client to see what type of gems she wanted and discuss placement. Davis decided on adding a golden palm tree and pink Swarvoski details to her canine teeth. To start, Pierce used a dental round to separate the lip from the gums. "This ensures a clean surface to work with," she says. Then, she sanitised Davis's tooth with rubbing alcohol to create a clean surface.
Once the tooth surface is clean, Pierre applied a primer to where she placed the gems. "Etching primer breaks down the enamel of the tooth to open up, so we have a porous surface to work with," she explains. To adhere the gems, Pierre used a composite similar to the ones used for braces. "Then I use a wax pencil to pick up my gem and apply it to the tooth surface."
Pierre used a curing light to bond the gems and composite to ensure they were secured on Davis's teeth. The results were subtle but noticeable and the gems could last up to two years. "I'll change up the tooth gems over time, especially now that I know how simple the process is," Davis says. Click play to see her transformation up close.