A–Z
Grillz, from Alginate to Zirconia
56 terms covering the craft, the stones, the law and the safety. Got a question instead? Ask Gloss or Grit. Back to home.
A
- Alginate
- An impression material dentists use; accurate but it distorts as it dries, so it's poured quickly.
- Alloy
- A mix of metals. 9ct, 14ct and 18ct gold are alloys of gold with other metals for strength and colour.
- Assay office
- An independent office that tests precious metal and applies the UK hallmark. There are four: London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh.
- Autoclave
- A steam steriliser. Ultrasonic baths and UV boxes clean; an autoclave sterilises, which is what any shared or loaned mouth-worn piece needs.
B
- Bezel setting
- A stone held by a rim of metal wrapped around it. Very secure, with a clean, modern look.
- Bottoms
- Grillz for the lower teeth. More subtle than tops; they show when you talk.
- Bust down
- A piece fully covered in stones, with no metal showing.
C
- Canine
- The pointed tooth at each corner of the smile. Caps here read as fangs.
- Carat
- For gold, purity out of 24 (9ct, 14ct, 18ct). For diamonds, weight (1 carat = 0.2 g). Same word, two meanings.
- Casting
- Pouring molten metal into the mould left when the wax burns out. It turns a hand-carved wax into solid gold or silver.
- Consumer Rights Act 2015
- UK law that goods must be of satisfactory quality, as described and fit for purpose, and services done with reasonable care and skill.
- Cubic zirconia
- A cheap, soft diamond simulant that scratches and clouds. Never sold as diamond.
D
- Dealer's Notice
- The British Hallmarking Council notice that anyone selling precious metal must display where they sell.
- Deep cut
- Extra-deep grooves between the teeth of a grill, for sharper definition.
- Dentists Act 1984
- The UK law that only registered dental professionals may practise dentistry, which includes taking impressions in someone's mouth. It's why Bite Club never does.
- Diamond-cut
- Faceted grooves carved into the metal so it flashes like a stone.
E
- Enamel
- The hard outer layer of your teeth. A grill sits over it, so keeping it clean underneath matters.
F
- Fang
- A cap on a canine tooth. The classic single-piece look.
- Fineness
- Precious-metal purity in parts per thousand: 375 (9ct), 585 (14ct), 750 (18ct), 925 (sterling silver). Part of the hallmark.
G
- GDC
- The General Dental Council, the UK regulator of dentists and dental professionals. Check any dentist on its online register.
- Gold-filled
- A thick layer of gold bonded to a base metal. More durable than plating, but not solid gold.
- Gold-plated
- A thin layer of gold over a cheaper metal. It wears through. Bite Club doesn't sell plated pieces.
H
- Hallmark
- The legal stamp from an assay office proving purity: sponsor's mark, fineness and assay office mark. Required on gold over 1 g and silver over 7.78 g.
I
- Iced
- Set with stones. 'Fully iced' means covered.
- Impression
- A mould of your teeth. You take it at home with our kit, or a dentist takes it. It's the starting point of every piece.
- Intraoral scan
- A 3D digital scan of your teeth taken by a dentist. The most accurate starting point. Ask for an STL or PLY file.
J
- Jewellers' block
- Specialist insurance for gold, stones and client pieces, at the studio and in transit.
K
- Kimberley Process
- The international scheme to keep conflict diamonds out of the supply chain. Suppliers give warranty statements on invoices.
L
- Lab-grown diamond
- Real diamond, grown in a lab. It must always be disclosed as lab-grown.
- Lost-wax casting
- The ancient method behind every Bite Club piece: carve in wax, invest, burn out the wax, cast the metal in its place.
M
- Mohs scale
- Mineral hardness from 1 to 10. Diamond 10, sapphire and ruby 9, opal around 6. In a mouth, harder is better.
- Moissanite
- A different gem (silicon carbide), nearly as hard as diamond, with more rainbow fire. Never sold as diamond.
N
- Nickel
- A common alloy metal and the most common metal allergy. UK REACH limits how much it can release. Ask for nickel-free alloys.
O
- Occlusion
- How your top and bottom teeth meet when you bite. A grill must not change it. That's why we may ask for both arches.
- Open face
- A metal frame with the centre cut out so your tooth shows through. Also called a window.
P
- Pavé
- Many small stones set close together for a fully iced surface.
- Premolar
- The teeth just behind the canines. An 'eight' includes the first premolars.
- Product liability
- Insurance for injury caused by something you made or sold. For mouth-worn jewellery, the key cover.
- Prong setting
- Small metal claws holding each stone, letting in maximum light.
- Public liability
- Insurance for injury or damage to clients and the public caused by the business, such as a slip at an appointment.
R
- Rhodium plating
- A bright white coating often used on white gold. It wears over time and can be redone.
- Rules of Bite Club
- 1 Show your teeth. 2 Impressions by you or your dentist, never us. 3 Full payment before we start. 4 Private appointments only. 5 18+. 6 Out to eat. 7 Never to sleep. 8 Pain means stop.
S
- Safety check
- The six confirmations every client makes before ordering: 18+, no loose teeth, no gum disease, no braces, no untreated decay, and understanding grillz are jewellery.
- Snap-fit
- How a well-made grill seats: gentle, even pressure and a satisfying click. It should never be forced or painful.
- Sponsor's mark
- The maker's registered initials in a hallmark, identifying who sent the piece for assay.
- Sterling silver
- Silver at 925 fineness (92.5% silver). Bright and affordable; tarnishes but cleans up.
- Stone model
- Your impression poured in hard dental stone: an exact copy of your teeth that your piece is carved and fitted on.
- Studio Line
- Bite Club's in-app messaging between you and the studio, with photos, in your Vault.
T
- Tarnish
- The darkening of silver as it reacts with sulphur in air and food. It cleans off.
- Tops
- Grillz for the upper teeth. The most visible.
U
- UK GDPR
- The UK data protection law. Teeth photos and scans can be health data, so they need explicit consent and careful handling.
V
- Vault
- Your private space in the app: membership, pieces, timeline, photos, scans, dentist details and Studio Line.
W
- Wax sculpt
- Hand-carving your piece in wax on your stone model, the step where the design is made.
- Wear limit
- How many hours you wear your grillz before taking them out. Set it in Settings; the wear timer reminds you.
Y
- Yellow gold
- Classic gold colour. The higher the carat, the deeper the yellow.
Z
- Zirconia
- Short for cubic zirconia, a diamond simulant. See Cubic zirconia.