Dental Patients Strive For Imperfect Smile

The veneerification of American mouths is most noticeable on reality television makeover shows, where new sets of straight, gleaming white teeth are often showcased. Nationwide, veneers have been so widely embraced that our smiles are becoming as indistinguishable as so many Starbucks.

Such uniformity isn't every veneer seeker's cup of tea. Lately, an influx of patients who want each fake tooth to be unique have visited the laboratory of Laura Kelly, a dental ceramicist in San Ramon, Calif., to discuss the shading and shaping of the veneers she designs. "Patients in the lab?" she said. "It never would've happened five years ago. In the beginning of veneers, people wanted teeth all white and straight." Now, she explained, they're requesting more translucency on the edges and a gradation of color from the top to the bottom, a slight rotation in the tooth and a rounded corner.

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See our tribute to imperfect teeth in "Adult Braces: A Tribute In Pictures."

Comments

[littlepuffycloud]

I'm 52 and my parents couldn't afford braces (I remember only one grade school friend who had braces and her dad was a dentist) and my mom told me that my smile had 'character' because one of my front teeth slightly overlaps the other...I never really bought into it, but I still have the overlap. It's funny but I always notice and admire actors and/or musicians, such as Patricia Arquette, David Letterman, Lauren Hutton and Jewell who have not gone with the fake perfect teeth. It's never an issue with 'real' people. Luckily, there is still a place for normality (imperfection) in our big old fake world.

[hillaryj]

I was the same..........no money for braces when I was young.
I think all those veneers look like chicklets! My teeth may be a little crooked, but they are healthy!

[ccmd]

I LOVE Phelps' smile. =)

[sunnyokanagan]

At last! I _knew_ if just waited 50 years my crooked teeth would finally be in vogue!

[sparkandy]

Wow! What's next? Real boobs and actual skin color without fake tans?

[Triangle1]

That's a big problem with many dental offices. When teeth look too white or too perfect, they look FAKE. If you get dentures, you should have them made to look like your teeth when you were say 28. They should have a tad bit of crookedness, not all the exact shade, slight variations. Same thing with veneers and dental implants. When someone looks at your smile, you want them to think "Wow, great smile!" Not "Ew, I can totally tell she has dental implants." Any dentist who gets this philosophy will have a line outside the door. http://mespace.wordpress.com

[wm1066]

In the 70's my dad wore dentures and the dentist toned them down to look real instead of bright white. He had a good dentist.