The short answer is NO. As long as grillz are removable and removed regularly there should be no damage to your teeth. The materials we choose are gentle on the enamel which is the white shell of the tooth. Chrome and faux gold have the right amount of give to avoid any wear on your teeth. In fact, these materials have been used in dentistry for over 100 years. They have been refined over the last century to have no impact on your natural teeth.
As gold and silver are naturally soft they are also not bad for your teeth. They should be cleaned regularly to remove the tarnish layer which may allow bacteria to accumulate, especially if you do decide to smoke with your grillz (not recommended).
How Grillz Damage Your Teeth
Extended Wear
If removable grillz are worn for over 6 hours, there will be some movement of the teeth. This is how braces and clear aligners work. With removable grillz the back teeth do not touch as they are not shaved down and reduced the way permanent grillz are. For this reason we recommend taking them out every few hours to let the ligaments around your teeth reset. If the teeth do move, over a few hours they will go back to their natural position.
Permanent Grillz
Permanent grillz are very destructive to your teeth. As metal does not bond to tooth, you will find over time that bacteria will get under the grill and create disease such as tooth decay. A bad smell may develop as these areas cannot be cleaned. Eventually enough bacteria will accumulate, destroy the tooth structure and kill the tooth. This is a very painful experience as the nerve inside the tooth attempts to swell but it has no space to do so as it surrounded by hard tooth structure. For this reason we do not do permanent grillz. Occasionally we may do a single permanent grill as part of a full smile makeover. This is to be discussed with Dr Maheer Shah as part of a larger treatment plan.
Poor Cleaning & Hygiene
If the teeth, mouth and gums are not maintained and cleaned properly, regardless if the grill is present or not the teeth will deteriorate. If you need help finding oral care products and instructions you can find them here. This is where I have my favourite oral care products and reviews on which ones are best suited to each individual smile.
To keep your grill clean, check out this blog here. This is the safest and easiest way I’ve found to keep your grillz disinfected and shiny.