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3D Printed Teeth Cup

Posted: August 23, 2012
3D Printed Teeth Mug
Discontinued

Many of us find great comfort and normalcy in our morning cups of coffee or tea. Artist Lily S would like to add some uneasiness to that equation. A mouthful, to be exact. Her Teeth Cup, molded from a full set of human pearly whites (possibly the creator's own) explores the unsettling effects of intertwining our drive to satiate an appetite, with an implement of satiation that is decidedly unappetizing. Does the slight revulsion of sipping through someone else's teeth stem from innate survival instincts, whereby we associate close proximity to another's canines and incisors with a threat to our own life? Or is it that we're living in an age of hyper-cleanliness, where Purel hand sanitizer is as much of a fixture in public places as the public itself, and sucking coffee through a stranger's caps and fillings is just kind of...gross?

OK, enough philosophical analysis. For those less into the arty-farty explanation thing, the Teeth Mug also represents an impressive application of 3D printing. A ceramic cup, 3.5" wide and 2.6" high, created by a printer. Really! And I still remember the days of having to tear off those perforated holey borders from my 6th grade book reports! How far we've come in a mere 20 years, from the days of printing limitations maxing out at "Go Warriors!" and "Happy Birthday, Dad!" banners, to the USB-connected machine's ability to eject binder on powder, erecting one layer of ceramic upon the next. I would love to see a video of the Teeth Cup's 3D printing process.

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