MATERIALS & ALLOYS
GRILLZ MATERIALS the alloys I use, one by one.
Updated 21 July 2026 · Grillz Marche Workshop, Monte San Giusto (MC)
Straight answer: my grillz are printed in cobalt-chrome dental alloy certified to ISO 22674, the same family of alloys dental labs use for custom frameworks. On request I also work with 316L steel and Grade 5 titanium. The gold colour of the Premium isn't solid gold: it's a 24Kt gold-effect PVD coating applied over the same alloy. All materials comply with the nickel-release limits of the REACH regulation. And let me say it up front: I make removable dental jewellery, made-to-measure pieces, not medical devices or prosthetics. Below you'll find the three alloys one by one, the real difference between Essential and Premium with public prices, what I won't put in anyone's mouth, and how to make your piece last.
01
The three alloys I work with
A grill sits against saliva and teeth, so the material is not a detail: it's the first choice, the one everything else starts from. I only work with technical metal alloys, born for uses where corrosion is not an option. No fantasy names: every alloy has its designation, its standard and its reason.
- Cobalt-chrome ISO 22674 · my standard alloy
- The dental alloy every one of my grillz is born in, Essential or Premium: a base of cobalt, chromium and molybdenum, hard, stable and corrosion-resistant. Certified to ISO 22674, the standard for metallic materials for dental use.
- 316L steel
- The so-called surgical steel, the same used in quality body jewellery. I use it on request for particular projects: compared to cobalt-chrome it's a touch less hard, but it stays a serious, stable, corrosion-resistant metal.
- Grade 5 titanium
- Featherlight and extremely strong: the titanium alloy of the most demanding applications. Also on request, and it makes sense above all when you want the least possible weight on the tooth.
- Gold effect · 24Kt PVD coating
- It's not a fourth alloy: it's the Premium finish. A layer of 24Kt gold-coloured titanium nitride deposited in a vacuum chamber over the dental alloy. The colour of gold, without passing it off as solid gold.
The same rule holds for all three metals: compliant with the nickel-release limits of the REACH regulation, the ones written for items that sit against the skin. If you want the full data sheet on the alloy I use every day, I've written it out page by page.
02
Essential or Premium: same metal, different finish
The real choice isn't between ten metals, it's between two finishes. Essential and Premium start identical: same dental alloy, same digital sculpt on the cast of your teeth, same mirror polish done by hand. The Premium adds one step: the 24Kt gold-effect PVD coating.
- Essential · from €100 per tooth
- ISO 22674 cobalt-chrome alloy polished to a mirror: the colour is that of white metal, cold and clean, and it stays that way because the alloy doesn't blacken like silver. An 8-tooth arch starts from €600.
- Premium · from €135 per tooth
- Same alloy, with the 24Kt gold-effect PVD coating applied in a vacuum chamber on top. The colour of gold with the hold of a technical finish: an 8-tooth arch starts from €750.
The prices you see here are the public price list, updated automatically: no surprise quote in chat. If you want to understand how the gold colour really works, I've explained it with no fairy tales.
03
What I do NOT use, and why
The material categories that don't enter my workshop, with the reason. I don't name brands or suppliers: I talk about families of materials, which is what you need to know when comparing prices online.
- Brass and zamak
- The alloys of few-euro marketplace grillz: soft, cheap, with a thin plating on top. In contact with saliva they oxidise and leave that metallic taste. Fine for a photo, not for your mouth.
- Thin galvanic plating
- The veil of gold deposited by electrolysis that wears off cheap jewellery in a few weeks. For the gold colour I use PVD: harder, more adherent, a completely different hold.
- Undeclared metals
- If a seller won't tell you which alloy it is, there's a reason. I only work with materials that have a traceable designation and certification: it's the first question to ask anyone, me included.
- Solid gold and 925 silver, for now
- I don't work them today, so you won't find them on the price list. What I sell you is declared for what it is: dental alloy, with or without PVD coating. When you buy from me you know exactly what you're getting.
The rule that comes out of this is simple: the right material costs more than brass, but it's the difference between a jewel that lasts years and one you throw away after two nights out.
04
Care and lifespan: how long a grill lives
Dental alloy doesn't rust and doesn't blacken like silver: with a minimum of care a piece stays with you for years. The routine is short: lukewarm water, mild soap, a soft brush, drying and the case. No toothpaste and no abrasive products, which dull the polish and over time wear down the PVD coating on the Premium.
If after months the piece loses a little shine, that's normal wear: the mirror polish is something I redo by hand at the workshop. The full routine, step by step, is written here.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about grillz materials
What are grillz made of?+
It depends on who makes them. Mine are born in cobalt-chrome dental alloy certified to ISO 22674, with 316L steel and Grade 5 titanium available on request; the gold colour of the Premium is a 24Kt gold-effect PVD coating. Few-euro grillz online are almost always plated brass or zamak, and often the material isn't even declared.
Is the material safe to keep in your mouth?+
I use technical alloys born for harsh environments, the main one is dental-grade, and all of them meet the nickel-release limits of the REACH regulation. That said, mine is a removable jewellery piece, not a medical device: you wear it for the occasion and take it off to eat and sleep. For any doubt about your oral health, the reference is the dentist.
Is the gold on the Premium real gold?+
No, and I'll tell you before you even ask: it's a 24Kt gold-effect PVD coating, a layer of titanium nitride deposited under vacuum on the dental alloy. The colour is that of gold, the hold is that of a technical finish used on watches and premium steels. Anyone selling you "solid gold" at costume-jewellery prices is selling you something else.
Do the materials contain nickel?+
Nickel is not an alloy ingredient of the cobalt-chrome I use, and all materials meet the nickel-release limits of the REACH regulation, designed for items in contact with the skin. If you have a known metal sensitivity, tell me before ordering: we talk it through in chat and choose the right route together. With a serious diagnosed allergy, the opinion that counts is your doctor's.
Can I choose 316L steel or titanium instead of cobalt-chrome?+
Yes, on request: the public price list is calculated on the standard dental alloy, and for 316L steel or Grade 5 titanium we quote in chat on the specific project. The path doesn't change: impression at home, digital sculpt to measure, hand finishing at the workshop.
Does a grill rust or change colour over time?+
No: dental alloy doesn't rust and doesn't blacken like real silver. At most it loses a little shine after months of use, and that's fixed with a polish I redo by hand at the workshop. On the Premium, the PVD coating lasts a long time if you avoid toothpaste and abrasive products.
The right material, declared for what it is.
Certified dental alloy, public prices and zero fairy tales about gold. Configure your custom grill: online you only pay the impression kit (€20), the rest we sort out in chat.
Configure your grill ✦