Published · Updated · Grillz Medellín
The short answer
No, if they are made properly. A removable grill is essentially a jewellery cover you put on and take off whenever you want. It does not alter the tooth at all: no enamel is filed, nothing is drilled, and nothing is glued on with permanent cement.
What can cause real problems is the combination of poor fit, low-quality metal and poor daily hygiene. Those three factors together are what create the horror stories you sometimes see on social media.
Why the mould changes everything
A generic one-size grill, the kind sold online for a few dollars, leaves gaps between the metal and the tooth where food and bacteria build up, and presses in places it should not, leading to discomfort or even gum recession with prolonged use.
A piece built on the exact mould of your teeth, on the other hand, sits evenly across the whole surface, leaves no hidden pockets for food, and is easy to clean because there are no hidden zones. That is why every piece we make at the studio starts with a mould or scan of your mouth — never a standard size.
Metal really matters
We use solid 925 silver, chrome/dental gold and 9K, 14K and 18K gold — all materials stable in contact with saliva. We avoid thin electroplated layers and high-nickel alloys, the main culprits behind irritated gums and metal that peels within weeks.
If you have sensitive gums or a past allergic reaction to jewellery metal, higher-karat gold is usually the gentlest choice for soft tissue. Compare every metal option in styles before deciding.
Ground rules to avoid problems
Take your grillz out to eat and to sleep, no exceptions. Chewing with them in wears the metal faster than normal and can loosen stones; sleeping with them in traps saliva against the tooth all night, which encourages bacterial plaque.
Rinse your mouth and the grillz after sugary drinks or alcohol, since sugar and acid are the biggest enemies of enamel under any dental jewellery. Brush your teeth before putting them in so you do not seal food residue under the piece.
When to check with your dentist first
If you have untreated active cavities, very recent crowns or are in orthodontic treatment, check with your dentist before wearing any grillz, removable or not. A compromised tooth needs its underlying problem solved before it carries any metal piece, however well made.
At the studio we never replace a dental check-up: if we notice something concerning while taking your mould, we tell you directly and, if needed, delay production until your dentist clears you.
Daily care: the routine that makes the difference
A two-minute daily routine is enough to keep both your grillz and your teeth in good shape: rinse, brush gently with mild soap and store dry in the case. We walk through it step by step, with weekly metal-specific cleaning, in how to clean and care for your grillz.
If the fit ever feels different, or you notice new discomfort, do not wait — reach us via contact so we can check the piece before it turns into a bigger issue.
Removable vs permanent: another safety factor
A big part of why our pieces do not damage teeth is precisely that they are removable: nothing stays glued to your enamel 24 hours a day, so your teeth breathe and clean normally outside the time you wear the grill. We explain the full difference versus the permanent caps a dentist cements in place in removable vs permanent grillz.
Live in areas like El Poblado or Laureles and want to ask questions in person before deciding? We can take the mould at your home or at the studio and answer any dental health question on the spot.
Common myths worth dropping
"All grillz eventually damage teeth": false. The damage does not come from grillz as a concept, but from ill-fitting generic pieces, nickel-heavy metals and poor wear habits. A custom-fitted, well-cared-for piece has no reason to cause problems over time.
"Gold is always safer than silver": not that simple either. What determines whether a metal irritates gums is its purity and alloy quality, not the metal type itself. Both our 925 silver and our 9K-to-18K gold are nickel-free and stable in contact with saliva; see every option in styles and compare before assuming one is automatically better.
Can I wear grillz with braces or orthodontic treatment?
In general, combining grillz with traditional braces is not recommended: a custom fit gets complicated because your teeth keep shifting week to week, and a piece that fits perfectly today may be loose or tight within a month. If you are mid-treatment, it is smarter to wait until it finishes.
If you use removable clear aligners, the situation is different since you can take them out for specific events and wear the grill during those hours. Even so, we recommend checking with your orthodontist and with us before taking a mould, to avoid fit surprises.
How to tell if your grillz fit is correct
A correct fit feels firm but not tight: the piece should not shift while talking normally, yet it should not leave painful marks or need force to put on or take off. Constant pressure on a single spot is a sign something was not calibrated right.
If a grillz made elsewhere has never quite fit right, we can assess it and, in most cases, build you a new piece to your real measurements through the configurator. Fixing a bad fit early is far better for your gums than getting used to the discomfort.
Price and health do not have to compete
A common mistake is thinking that protecting your dental health means spending more. It does not: even the most affordable option in our catalogue, solid 925 silver from COP 250,000 per tooth, is built on your exact mould with the same fit care as an 18K gold piece. See the full price table by material and karat in prices.
What we never recommend, whatever your budget, is choosing a generic one-size grill just to save a few dollars: that initial saving almost always costs more later in discomfort, extra cleaning, or, worst case, a dental visit that could have been avoided.
Materials we avoid and why
We do not work with cheap high-nickel alloys or thin few-micron electroplating, because those are the leading causes of contact allergies, greenish gum staining, and a finish that peels within weeks instead of lasting years.
All our silver is solid 925, not plated, and all our gold starts from real 9K, not a simple gold wash over a base metal. That quality difference is what separates a safe grill from one that ends up in a drawer after a month of use.
Summary: five points to remember
First, a well-made removable grill does not damage your teeth. Second, a custom mould is what prevents gaps where bacteria build up. Third, the metal needs to be stable and nickel-free. Fourth, take it out to eat and sleep. Fifth, check with your dentist if you have active cavities or are mid-treatment.
If you still have questions before booking your mould, check our FAQ or message us directly; we answer with the same honesty this article was written with.
What dentists generally say about removable dental jewellery
The general dental view on removable dental jewellery is clear: the risk is not in the object itself but in how it is made and worn. A piece that needs no filing, is not permanently cemented, and comes out for eating and sleeping minimises the factors that concern any professional.
That is exactly what separates a custom-fitted removable grill from the permanent caps that require shaving down the tooth: since nothing touches the tooth structure, there is no irreversible step a dentist needs to pre-approve, though it is always good practice to mention it at your next routine check-up.
Booking your mould with confidence
If everything above has answered your main concerns, the next step is simple: book a mould appointment at the studio or at your home anywhere in Medellín and the Valle de Aburrá, pick your metal and style in the configurator, and check exact per-tooth pricing in prices before you commit to a deposit.
We are happy to walk through fit, material and hygiene questions again at the appointment itself, in person, with your actual teeth in front of us rather than general advice online.