Grill (jewelry)
In hip hop culture, the term grill (pl. "grills", or "grillz" in slang) refers to a cosmetic dental apparatus worn over the teeth. Grills are made of metal (often silver, gold, or platinum) and are sometimes inlaid with precious stones. Grills can cost anywhere from $50 to several thousand dollars, depending on the materials used and the number of teeth covered.[1] Grills can be purchased online or at specialty shops.
Hip hop artists began wearing grills in the early 1980s.[1] New Yorker Eddie Plein, owner of Eddie's Gold Teeth, is most often credited with starting the trend.[1][2] Plein made gold caps for Flava Flav, and later outfitted New York rappers including Big Daddy Kane and Kool G. Rap.[1][2] He later moved to Atlanta, where he designed ever-more-elaborate grills for rappers like OutKast, Goodie Mob, Ludacris, and Lil Jon.[1][2]
Grills rose to prominence with Dirty South rappers in the 2000s as a symbol of their wealth and success.[1] The video to the 2005 single "Grillz" (by Nelly, Paul Wall, Big Gipp, and Ali) showcases many common styles of grills.[3]
While early grills could not be removed easily and involved reshaping the tooth itself to fit the crown, grills today are made from custom dental molds.[1] The process of obtaining a grill is fairly complex. One must have a dentist take a mold of one's front teeth with a quick set alginate.[4] A realistic tooth mold is obtained by filling the latex negative with plaster; the plaster is used to fit the grill to the unique set of teeth.[4] The grill is then checked for fit on the owner's teeth.
According to the American Dental Association in June 2006, no studies have shown whether the long-term wearing of grills is safe.[5] The ADA's consumer adviser has warned that bacteria can get trapped under a grill, possibly resulting in gum disease, cavities, or even bone loss,[2] and grills made from base metals could cause irritation or allergic reactions.[5] Additionally, school districts in Alabama,[1] Georgia,[1] and Texas[6] have banned grills.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Sims, Brian. "History of the Grill." Hip Hop DX (July 17, 2006).
- ^ a b c d Du Lac, J. Freedom. "Brace yourselves: Designer 'grills' have rappers smiling." Washington Post (Jan. 17, 2006). Available at [1]
- ^ Mann, Nancy K. "Dental Grills: Hygienist and Patient Education." Contemporaryoralhygieneonline.com (Nov. 2006).
- ^ a b Phillips, Bianca. "Rappers May Lose Reason To Smile." Memphis Flyer (Feb, 7, 2007).
- ^ a b American Dental Association. "Dentists Say Dental Grills (Grillz) Might Bring Glitz, But Could Tarnish Smile." June 28, 2006.
- ^ "Texas School District Bans Grills." Spin Magazine (July 13, 2006).