Ryan Lochte of the U.S. holds his gold medal after winning the men's 400m individual medley during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 28, 2012. (Photo : REUTERS/Michael Dalder )

Ryan Lochte has stirred some controversy by his signature diamond-encrusted tooth grill, which illuminates the American swimmer’s fashion-conscious personality and has become an irresistible tradition to wear on his victory grin.

At the London Olympics 2012, Ryan Lochte already earned an individual gold and team silver for the U.S. team.

Lochte was ready to debut his new grill for this occasion when he took home the gold medal for 400-meter Individual Medley on Saturday, but was allegedly banned by the officials.

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 “Lochte told me he tried to wear his grill on the podium only to have an Olympics official tell him if he did so he wouldn't get his gold,” ESPN reporter Wayne Drehs said.

While the 27-year-old swimmer did remove his iconic accessory upon receiving his gold medal on the podium, he waited until after the national anthem to sport the star-spangled mouth guard.

Lochte got his last winning smile photographed with the red, white and blue diamond-encrusted mouthpiece, specially made for the London Olympics 2012.

"For those who don't know what a grill is, it's basically a retainer filled with diamonds," Lochte explained in a June 2011 interview.

"I wear it when I go on the podium. It's just a unique way of showing personality out to everyone."
It has now become tradition for Ryan Lochte to grin in his grill every time he wins a medal.

He has rocked special grills at a number of events in the past, including the 2007 World Aquatics Championship in Melbourne, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2009 World Championship in Rome, and the 2011 World Championship in Shanghai, said Yahoo News.

Lochte is also dubbed a fashion icon among some fans, and he claimed that he owns over 130 pairs of sneakers and a sparkling watch collection.

Furthermore, on his website, he sells humorous novelty glasses, with the line “Reezy Jeah!”
The fashionable novelty glasses are on sale for $14.99, with some autographed version for $100.

No wonder Ryan Lochte turned out to be a trending topic on the web.

"What's up to the loyal Lochtenators of Lochte Nation?" the swimmer tweeted Sunday morning.
"Pretty cool we r trending thanks to u! I've always said we r in this together & WE ARE!"

Watch a video of Ryan Lochte talking about fashion: