When I was growing up, there were a few indicators of one’s wealth in my community: A fly car, a decked-out wardrobe, a coveted designer bag or swaggy jewelry. Not all jewelry was the same, though: ...

The trend has been boosted by hip-hop icons such as Nelly and rappers like Paul Wall. After Nelly’s 2005 hit “Grillz,” which glorifies the trend, young people all over scrambled to wrap their chops ...