Gold or silver grillz: how to choose
This is the first real decision you make, and it changes everything downstream — the price, the weight in your mouth, how the set ages, and how it photographs. Here is an honest comparison rather than a sales pitch for the more expensive option.
Materials · Published · 5 min read
Sterling silver
Silver gives you the brightest, coolest, most mirror-like shine of any metal we work in, at the lowest price. It is the natural first set: affordable enough to experiment with a shape or a tooth count before committing to gold.
The trade-off is tarnish. Silver reacts with air and moisture and will dull over time. That is normal and reversible — a polish brings it straight back — but it is maintenance you have to actually do.
Gold, karat by karat
Gold does not tarnish, feels heavier and more substantial, and keeps a resale value that silver does not. The karat you pick is a trade between colour and hardness.
- 10K: hardest and most affordable. Paler yellow. Excellent for a set you wear constantly.
- 14K: the most popular choice. Solid gold colour with enough hardness for daily wear.
- 18K: deepest, richest yellow. Softer, so it marks more easily — best for occasion sets.
White gold and rose gold
White gold reads similar to silver from a distance but never tarnishes, which makes it a popular upgrade path for people who like the silver look but are tired of polishing. Rose gold sits warm against most skin tones and photographs beautifully, particularly with stone accents.
Comfort and weight
Gold is denser, so a gold set feels heavier than the same shape in silver. Most people stop noticing within a day, but if you are sensitive to that, a silver or 10K set is the lighter option.
Whatever the metal, comfort comes down to fit far more than material. A well-moulded silver set is more comfortable than a poorly fitted 18K one, every single time.
So which one?
Buying your first set, or trying a shape you're unsure about? Start in silver. Wearing it most days, or want it to last decades and hold value? Go 14K gold. Building something for photos and occasions where colour depth matters most? 18K.
Still torn? Tell us how often you expect to wear it and we'll tell you honestly which metal makes sense — including when the cheaper one is the better call.
Questions people ask
Will silver grillz turn my teeth black?
No. Tarnish sits on the metal surface, not your enamel. Any temporary marking comes from wearing an unclean set for long stretches, which cleaning and normal brushing resolves.
Is gold plating worth it?
Plating over silver gives you the gold look at a silver price, but it wears through at the biting edges with regular use. It suits occasional wear; for a daily set, solid gold is the honest answer.
Talk to us about your set
Tell us the teeth, the metal and your dates. We'll come back with a real quote and a realistic timeline.
Book a fitting