Shaped Tooth Crystals

Choosing shaped tooth gems for a professional design

Shaped dental crystals offer a tooth gem artist different design options from using round crystals alone. The shape itself becomes part of the composition and can introduce direction, symmetry or a distinctive focal point to the design.

Which shaped tooth gem works best depends on the intended design, the available tooth surface and the proportions between the different elements you want to combine.

Which shape suits the design?

Orientation changes the tooth gem design

With many shaped crystals, direction is part of the design itself. A teardrop can point upwards, downwards or diagonally, while a navette can be positioned horizontally, vertically or at an angle. Hearts and moons also change visually when their orientation is adjusted.

Assess orientation not only in relation to the tooth itself, but also in relation to other tooth gems within the same design. When several shapes are combined, the direction of each element can influence the overall composition.

Assess size, height & width

With shaped tooth gems, one measurement does not always indicate how much space the gem will actually occupy. A long navette, compact heart or wide butterfly can appear very different on the tooth even when their stated dimensions seem similar.

Consider both height and width and compare them with the available tooth surface. Also leave sufficient room for any other elements that will form part of the same design.

Combining shaped & round tooth gems

A shaped tooth gem can act as the focal point of a composition, while smaller round crystals can be used to extend the design. Round gems may be placed alongside a shape, used to fill smaller spaces or help reinforce the visual direction of the design.

Multiple shaped crystals can also be combined. In more complex designs, consider shape, colour, size and orientation together rather than choosing each crystal independently.