On Fri, Sep 6, 2024 at 8:42 AM Peter Dimov via Boost
No cap
As mailing list readers may be unfamiliar with some of this newer terminology, allow me to explain. Gold dental crowns are an attractive option for many patients, as the properties of the metal make it ideal for dental restorations. The metal is unreactive, naturally hypoallergenic, and the alloy used is a bit softer than the traditional quartz or porcelain materials used. This reduces the wear on opposing teeth. The potential drawback is the non-normative coloration. For this reason, gold restorations (including inlays and onlays) are typically reserved for the posterior teeth where they are less visible. However in some cultures, visible gold restorations are used to signal status. For example in urban culture, an anterior series of adjacent gold crowns is referred to as a "grill" (plural: grillz) and signifies wealth. In some cases these crowns are inlaid with precious stones such as diamonds, as can be seen here: https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/54388a06a7bd4a47bd12677529f7d0c9/dms3rep... Due to the high cost of authentic gold crowns, the practice of wearing gold veneers arose. This is a form of non-dental gold jewelry which can be applied and removed by the wearer. For example, if a fashion-forward Boost contributor wanted to identify with this trend, they could purchase this inexpensive, single-tooth tooth cover: https://www.amazon.com/Factory-Plated-Removable-Single-Polishing/dp/B07C352X... While this is a less expensive choice, wearers of gold tooth covers may experience pushback when attempting to integrate in urban culture social settings. They may be accused of "fronting" [1], with the implication that they are attempting to portray status or wealth which they do not have. As these removable gold tooth covers are effectively a cap over the tooth, they became informally known as "caps." Thus, the term "no cap" metaphorically indicates that the gold grillz are in fact real and not the cheaper removable form of tooth covers. Thanks [1] https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fronting