How to Apply Tooth Gems

Do you want to add more sparkle to your smile? Simply adding jewelry or gems to the teeth is one way to do it--even select dentists will do this. Gems are typically small and shiny and can add a real impact to your smile. It takes a little time and patience, but the results are long-lasting and beautiful.

Things You'll Need

• Gloves
• Mirror
• Cotton
• Brushes
• Water
• Alcohol
• Tweezers
• Toothpicks
• Tissues
• Wax rod
• Clippers
• Light for curing
• Sealant (light cure, non-filled and non-yellow) and etch for your type of teeth (etch will be a small percentage of phosphoric acid for real teeth).

Instructions

1. Clean your teeth thoroughly with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Figure out which teeth you want to put gems on. Lay out all the tools next to the mirror.

2. Use the cotton to separate the tooth area where you are placing the gem from any moisture. Keep this tooth as dry as possible. While the tooth is dry, etch (no rubbing) the entire tooth for 12 seconds. Rinse tooth and dry.

3. Etch again for 12 seconds with cotton still intact. Dab the etched area (again no rubbing). You will then have a pretty frosting on etched teeth. Rinse and dry teeth. If you get saliva on the tooth, you must start over.

4. Apply a small amount of sealant with brush on the whole etched tooth. Use your curing light on the tooth for approximately 20 seconds. Apply sealant to the back of the gem and then on the tooth. Place the gem on the tooth in the desired area.

5. Use the curing light on tooth for another 20 seconds. Take more sealant, brushing it around the gem, giving a smooth feel. For each application, light cure it for 10 seconds each. Take the sealant and go over the entire tooth plus gem at least four times. Don’t forget to light cure between each application. After the last application, cure with light a final 25 seconds.

Tips & Warnings

• Gems should last approximately two years or more.

• Only apply sealant on etched teeth.