Meet the woman making jewellery from human teeth

She makes jewellery from all adult teeth

(Matan Bellemakers)

“Feel free to adorn yourself with yourself,” says Lucie Majerus, a graduate student at the Design Academy Eindhoven.

For that is exactly what Majerus does with the jewellery she creates from her own teeth.

Her jewellery collection, ‘Human Ivory’, was created as an alternative to elephant ivory.

“Why do we almost extinguish elephants for the sake of their precious teeth? Why don’t we value other teeth as well? When I lost my own wisdom teeth, I kept them and came up with the idea of Human Ivory,” Majerus explained to The Independent.

“I want to twist our perspective on valuable materials and reconsider conventional preciousness. In opposition to materialistic values, 'Human Ivory' acts metaphorically for having our own value in ourselves.”

She presented the collection, which includes earrings, cuff links, brooches and rings, at the Graduation Show of the Design Academy Eindhoven during Dutch Design Week. Reaction, however, has been mixed.

“Surprisingly, most people weren’t creeped out by the sight of the jewellery, but really like the idea to use our own ivory instead of elephant ivory,” she says. On social media though, Majerus admits that not everyone has been keen on the idea.

She thinks the reason for some people’s disgust might be that: “Lost adult teeth directly link to a painful extraction experience and decay, something we don’t want to face. But by the careful transformation of smoothening of the tooth, a possible disgust association of a human tooth evolves into attraction and beauty.”

Majerus explains that whilst teeth are the hardest part of the human body, they’re also softer than stones. And as they’re so small, a lot of patience and attention to detail is required to work with them.

She uses all adult teeth - molars are big enough to make pearl shapes and longer incisors are better for drop-shaped gems. All the teeth are cleaned in bleach before being polished, and if a tooth has a hole, Marjerus repairs it with white filler just like a dentist.

Various people have commissioned jewellery from Majerus so far, including her dentist who has requested cufflinks made with teeth pearls from anonymous people.

Some people have expressed interest in commemorating dead loved ones by turning their teeth into jewellery. Majerus however isn’t so keen: “Personally I wouldn't appreciate having my grandparents' teeth extracted after their death and turned into jewellery.

“However, if my grandmother had lost her teeth during her life and I could have made it into a ring, I would definitely wear it."