Girls with grillz

Katy Perry wore a grill that says 'ROAR' at the MTV Video Music Awards. Photo / AP

Rihanna and Beyonce have sparked a craze for dazzling mouth braces.

Beyonce has recently been spotted wearing rose gold grillz, while Rihanna has a set shaped like a gun. Miley Cyrus is believed to keep three different styles in her handbag and Madonna has been proudly sporting a diamond and gold set this month.

Madonna sporting a gold grill. Photo / AP

Grillz are clip-on braces shaped around dental moulds and encrusted with precious jewels and gold - and they are the latest must-have accessory.

"There was an initial boom around 2010, when rapper Nelly started wearing them but since Rihanna and Beyonce have been using grillz, I've seen a huge increase in interest among women," Chris Hemming, of Bling Bling Online, told British magazine Grazia.

"We now sell around 5,000 a year, with plain gold and silver-plated being the most popular."

Jewellery designer Philip Crangi once dubbed grillz "tiaras for men" after they became a must-have item for stars such as Kanye West and the Wu-Tang Clan. But now women are also showing an interest in the dazzling mouth accessories.

Singer-and-actress Miley apparently wears a gold "chill grill" during the day and when she is planning a big night out she opts for a diamond-encrusted piece.

Katy Perry's 'ROAR' grill. Photo / AP

Paul Wall, a former rapper who now supplies bespoke grillz to stars such as Kim Kardashian, insists they are the latest cult accessory among female stars and their fans.

"All the fly girls are getting them now," he explained.

Katy Perry donned a sparkly 'ROAR' grill at the MTV VMAs to promote her new single Roar.

- COVER MEDIA