A new China youth fashion trend of getting tooth tattoos by engraving words like “get rich” and “ensure success” on their dental caps has trended on mainland social media.

Facilitated by dental institutions across the country, which provide tailor-made word or pattern inscriptions on tooth crowns for free to attract customers, according to a report by Shangyou News.

A tooth crown is an artificial cap that encases a damaged or weak tooth to restore its shape, function, strength and appearance.

“Our 3D-printed tooth crowns are made of aerospace materials. They cannot only repair your problematic tooth, but also carry engraved words or patterns. They are uniquely customised for you,” an advertisement for a large-scale private hospital in Guangdong province, southern China, reads.

The hospital, whose name was not released in the report, has two outlets in Guangzhou and Foshan, both in Guangdong.

“The tooth tattoo technology was introduced at the beginning of this year. Many customers flock to our institutions to have things they like engraved. This technology is quite mature now,” a member of staff was quoted as saying.

Some people carve their lovers’ names or lucky numbers, while some adopt tattoos with messages like “get rich” or “secure success”.