10K vs. 14K Gold Grillz: What Karat Gold Is Best for Teeth?

Most of us know that the letter K in 14K, or 10K, stands for karat – a unit that measures the solid gold content. The higher the karat value, the purer the gold is and the higher it is esteemed.

If you want to buy a ring or a necklace, it is always better to aim as high as you can afford. But what about mouth jewelry? How do 10K vs. 14K gold grillz compare?

Let’s discover what karat gold is best for teeth!

How Do 10K vs .14K Gold Grillz Compare?

Both 10K gold and 14k gold are an excellent choice for grillz. They each have desirable properties and their own advantages. 10K gold grills are the least expensive but highly durable and bend-resistant. 14K gold grills are made from gold of higher purity and are thus a pricer alternative, but require less maintenance, too.

In order to understand the difference between 10K vs. 14K grillz, you first have to learn about the difference between 10K and 14K gold.

What is 10K gold?

10K gold has a purity of 10 karats (41,7% pure gold). It is made of 10 parts gold and 14 parts alloy.

Alloy is a mixture of different materials that make the gold harder and more durable. Alloy actually makes gold more suitable for mouth jewelry.

The question is: Do 10K gold teeth tarnish?

Unfortunately, the answer is yes. The alloy has some downfalls. Gold that has a high alloy percentage is more prone to tarnishing. As a result, 10K gold tarnishes faster than purer forms of gold.

Luckily, tarnish can be easily removed. All you need is a jewelry polishing cloth or some baking soda and a little bit of time and patience.

What is 14K gold?

14K gold has a purity of 14 karats (58.3% pure gold). It is 7 parts gold and 17 parts silver combined with copper, nickel, or zinc.

Thanks to the higher percentage of pure gold, 14K gold is more durable and resistant to oxidation. However, it is more expensive as well.

If you can afford 14K gold, you will be able to save some time and effort on maintenance since it is more resistant to tarnish than 10K gold. The higher the pure gold content, the less care gold jewelry requires.

When using gold for mouth jewelry, you should also consider that 14K is relatively softer than 10K gold. As a result, 14K gold grillz adhere better to your teeth and are an ideal choice for dental jewelry.

10K vs. 14K Gold: Differences & Similarities

First and foremost (and most importantly), both 10K and 14K are made from pure gold. The main difference is that the latter has a higher purity.

Here is how 10K vs. 14K gold compares in different categories:

1. Pure gold content

Only 24K gold is 100% pure gold. As we have already said, 14K is 58.3% gold, and 10K is “only” 41.7% gold.

2. Price

10K gold is the least expensive form of gold suitable for mouth jewelry. 14K gold is pricier than 10K gold. Logically, the 24K is the most expensive option, usually used only for making gold coins and bars

3. Durability

Thanks to high alloy content, 10K gold is the most durable option. It is strongest against bending and highly resistant to scratches or other forms of physical damage. 14K gold might tarnish slower than 10k gold, but it is not as durable and resistant to nicks and scrapes.

4. Color

Both 14K and 10K gold have yellow color typical for gold. However, 10K gold is a noticeably lighter shade of yellow color in comparison to 14K gold. 14K gold has a darker and deeper shade of golden yellow color.

Both 10K and 14K gold grillz can be rhodium plated. So, if you prefer white gold grillz, you can opt for either of the two.

What Karat Gold Is Best for Teeth?

14K gold is best for teeth as it provides the best price and quality ratio. It offers deep golden color, bright shine, and optimal hardness and durability for consumers on a budget.

There is the best type of gold for every application. Each purity level has its own advantages and disadvantages. The following table shows all the types of gold:

Not all gold is suitable for dental crowns or other dental work. For this reason, people often employ the term dental gold to describe gold that is used in people’s mouths.

Pure gold is rather malleable, which does not make it ideal for mouth jewelry. Gold grills need to be sturdy enough to withstand chewing without getting deformed.

Consequently, 24K gold is not used for dental work. Instead, the alloy is added to gold to enhance its strength without altering its unique properties such as durability and resistance to corrosion. Dentists typically use 16K, 14K, 12K, or 10K gold for mouth jewelry.

You can choose between three types of dental gold alloy:

• Precious metal (high noble alloy)

It is made from at least 60% high noble metals and is considered the “gold standard” of dental metals. It contains a minimum of 40% gold and a mixture of other high noble metals such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium. It is the most expensive option.

• Semi-precious metal (noble alloy)

The noble alloy contains a minimum of 25% precious metal, including gold, palladium, silver, indium, iridium, etc.

• Non-noble alloy (non-precious metal)

This type of dental gold alloy has less than 25% of precious metal content (sometimes it even has no precious metals at all). It typically contains high levels of nickel, chromium, cobalt, or beryllium.

Which dental gold alloy should you choose and why?

A high noble alloy is your best choice. Due to the highest percentage of gold and noble metals, it is the least susceptible to corrosion or oxidation in the mouth.

Final Words

You now know how 10K vs. 14K gold grillz compare. They are both great options with many advantages.

10K grillz should be your choice if you are on a low budget but do not want to sacrifice durability. 14K gold grillz are the best value for money if you can afford them. No matter which gold grillz you choose, you’ll look majestic!

I hope I have answered all your questions. Feel free to comment and share this article. We might help someone find the perfect gold grillz together!