Tooth gems are back, but the style has changed. Gone is the big coloured stone in the middle of the front teeth: what people ask for today is a small point of light that is noticed when you smile, not before. This guide helps you choose the shape, size, colour and position. For application, removal and what dentists think, everything is in our honest tooth gem guide: we will not repeat it here.
The trend: a single small sparkle
The figures back it up. According to Pinterest data published in October 2026 by the Swiss outlet blue News, searches for “tooth gem aesthetic” rose 81% in August 2026 compared with August 2025. A dentist interviewed there describes demand driven mostly by 18 to 35 year olds, and notes that the small classic crystal remains one of the most frequent choices, well ahead of busy designs.
This understated style, sometimes called “soft sparkle”, comes down to three principles: one stone, a small size, a light colour. It is also the easiest choice to wear every day, at work as well as in the evening, and the simplest to change later.
Which shape to choose
All our stones have a flat back, which sits flat on the enamel, and a faceted front that reflects light. What changes is the outline:
- Round: the most discreet, a simple bright dot. Our 2 mm round is barely bigger than a pinhead. It is the shape to start with.
- Teardrop: rounded on one side, pointed on the other, more delicate than a round. Point towards the gum, it seems to fall from the edge of the tooth; point downwards, it extends the smile. Our teardrop measures 2 × 3 mm.
- Heart: the most requested shape after the round. At about 3 mm it can be recognised up close and from afar; our hearts come in ten colours, from crystal to red.
- Star: the 2000s motif. At 3 mm it fits on an incisor or a canine, one point upwards for the sharpest effect. Our stars also come in 4 and 6 mm, but 6 mm is very visible and can bother the lip: for a tooth, choose 3 or 4 mm.
- Marquise: an oval pointed at both ends, whose sparkle runs from one tip to the other. Placed along the axis of the incisor, it stays slim. Our marquises measure 1.5 × 3 mm or 2 × 4 mm.
Which size: from 1.8 to 3 mm
On a tooth, a few tenths of a millimetre change everything. To help you, here are the sizes from our product pages:
- 1.8 to 2 mm: the discreet sparkle, ideal on a canine or a lateral incisor, and for a first time.
- 2.2 to 2.4 mm: the classic on an incisor, visible without dominating the smile.
- 2.6 to 3 mm: seen from a distance; it is also the size of hearts and stars, whose shape only reads from there.
If in doubt, choose the smaller one. A gem that is too big draws the eye to itself rather than to the smile, and it is more exposed to rubbing from the lips.
Which colour: clear, iridescent, milky or coloured
- Clear crystal reflects white light and blends best with the tooth: the “soft sparkle” choice par excellence.
- Iridescent crystal, often marked AB, adds rainbow reflections depending on the angle. Our packs of 24 crystals offer it in 1.8, 2.2 and 2.6 mm, alongside ten other colours.
- Opal does not sparkle like a crystal: it gives off a milky glow, pinkish or bluish depending on the light, even softer on the tooth. Our opals come in thirteen colours and three sizes (2, 2.4 and 2.8 mm).
- Colours (sapphire, emerald, pink, red) stand out more and are chosen like an accessory: with an outfit, for an evening.
Where to place it
The right position is decided as much for the effect as for how long it lasts. The guidelines that come up on our product pages:
- A canine or a lateral incisor: the place for a discreet gem. It shows on the side when you smile, without taking over the centre.
- A central incisor: for a more visible gem, or a shape that needs to be read, such as a heart.
- In the middle of the visible face, neither against the gum nor near the biting edge: against the gum, plaque builds up; at the edge, the stone takes every bite and lasts less long.
Before choosing, look at yourself smiling in a mirror, from the front and then at three quarters, and spot the tooth that catches the light. It is often the canine.
Design ideas, from subtle to bold
- The single dot: a clear 2 mm round on a canine.
- The constellation: two or three small rounds on neighbouring teeth, at slightly different heights.
- The tear: a crystal teardrop, point downwards, on a lateral incisor.
- The little wing: two marquises set in a V.
- The duo: a heart on one incisor and a small round on the next tooth.
- For the holidays: a 3 mm crystal star, or an opal for a softer glow under the lights.
Beyond two or three stones, each gem adds an edge where plaque can settle. It is better to change design from one time to the next than to pile them up. A compartment storage box keeps each colour and size apart until the next one, out of reach of children.
Before you go ahead
To judge the look before you buy, our smile simulator lets you try the shape, size and colour of a gem on a smile, then compare.
A tooth gem is still jewellery, for adults with healthy teeth only, never placed on a crown, a veneer or a brace. A cosmetic application is temporary, lasting 1 to 4 weeks depending on your habits. We do not sell glue, and acid etching has no place at home. Professor Tobias Tauböck, of the University of Zurich, points out that a tooth gem should be neither applied nor removed by the wearer: application in a salon, or by a dentist who agrees to do it, remains the safest route. For removal, never use a metal object: any residue is removed at the dentist’s.
While it is in place, brush twice a day, gently around the stone, with a fluoride toothpaste such as our Classic Mint. All the shapes and colours in this article are gathered in our Tooth Gems range.
Your questions about choosing a tooth gem
Which tooth should a tooth gem go on?
For a discreet effect, on a canine or a lateral incisor, in the middle of the visible face. A central incisor suits a more visible gem or a shape that needs to be read, such as a heart. Always away from the gum and from the biting edge.
What size of tooth gem for a first time?
A clear round of 1.8 to 2 mm. It shows when you smile without dominating the face, and it is the easiest size to wear every day. Shapes such as the heart or the star only become recognisable from about 3 mm.
How many tooth gems can you wear at once?
Two or three at most, on neighbouring teeth. Each stone adds an edge where plaque builds up: beyond that, keeping them clean becomes harder. It is better to change design from one application to the next.
Crystal or opal, what is the difference on the tooth?
Crystal reflects a bright light, white or iridescent. Opal gives off a milky glow, pinkish or bluish depending on the light: the look is softer and less sparkly.
In short
- The trend: a single small clear or iridescent crystal, around 2 mm.
- Canine or lateral incisor for a discreet look, central incisor for a shape that needs to be read.
- In the middle of the visible face, away from the gum and the biting edge.
- Two or three stones at most; change design rather than pile them up.
- Adults with healthy teeth only; for application and removal, follow our guide and prefer a professional.