You’ve probably heard about ear, body, and even oral piercings. But what about a tooth piercing? This trend involves placing a gem, stone, or other type of jewelry right onto a tooth in your mouth.

While the procedure can add some sparkle to your smile, it doesn’t come without risks.

Read on to learn how tooth piercing is performed and the potential complications.

With tooth piercing, a hole isn’t drilled through your tooth. Instead, the jewelry is carefully attached to the tooth’s surface.

Gems are available in all different shapes and sizes. Some popular choices include:

Tooth piercings are usually done on a tooth in the front of your mouth, away from the gum area.

According to Bang Bang Body Arts in Massachusetts, a temporary tooth piercing can last up to 6 weeks. If you opt for a semi-permanent tooth piercing, you can leave it on as long as you like.

The tooth piercing procedure is fairly straightforward. You shouldn’t experience any pain before or after the jewel is placed.

Typically, drilling isn’t needed to place a tooth piercing, though some people may have their teeth drilled by a professional.

Tooth rings are placed by drilling a hole through the tooth to secure the ring through it. This is not recommended due to irreversible damage to your tooth.

You can get tooth piercings at a dental office or piercing parlor.

As with any type of piercing, look for a trained professional who works in a clean, sterile establishment. Some dentists even perform the procedure.

To remove a tooth gem, you can wait until it naturally falls off or visit a dentist to remove it.

One of the biggest concerns with a tooth piercing is that the jewelry can potentially break from the tooth and be swallowed or aspirated.

Other potential risks and complications include:

Additionally, the process of prepping and conditioning the tooth for a piercing can often permanently change the tooth’s surface.

There’s limited research on the safety of long-term wear of tooth jewelry and piercings. Not all dentists will provide this service.

There are many reasons people opt to have a tooth piercing. For one, it’s a popular fashion statement.

A piercing — if placed in the right spot — might also hide a tooth discoloration or a stained area.

It can also shift attention away from irregular teeth in your mouth and is sometimes used to fill in small gaps between teeth.

Many people also like that tooth piercing can be a temporary, minimally invasive, and painless procedure.

The cost for a tooth piercing typically starts at $25, according to Tattoodoo, a global community and booking platform for tattoo artists.

However, prices vary. Be sure to speak to the piercing professional you’re considering to get specific prices.

Since it’s a cosmetic procedure, it’s unlikely that medical insurance will cover the costs.

Tooth piercing is a hot trend that involves placing jewelry on your teeth.

It’s done by embedding a jewel into a composite applied to the surface of your tooth. It’s a temporary procedure that doesn’t pose as many risks as other oral piercing techniques.

Still, tooth jewelry can lead to complications.

It’s recommended that only people with a healthy mouth and good oral hygiene habits should consider the procedure.

It’s important to have dental check-ups every 6 months to make sure the jewelry is not damaging your teeth or gums.

If you choose to get a tooth piercing, make sure you find a credible and experienced professional to perform the procedure.

Last medically reviewed on March 6, 2020

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

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