The Science of Dentistry

People will buy anything. And I literally mean anything. Sometimes they will pay a bunch of money for things you’d have to pay me to take. And if a celebrity is attached to it, the more money it will fetch.  Take for example the recent auction of John Lennon’s gnarly, half-decayed tooth. 

Mike Tyson's Teeth

Mike Tyson is changing his ferocious look. No, he’s not having his tribal tattoo removed.  He’s missing that famous gap-toothed (diastema), gold-capped grin that was featured prominently in “The Hangover.”

Katie Couric Smile

For some strange reason, Katie Couric’s smile has always bothered me.  Don’t get me wrong, she is a beautiful woman and I have a tremendous amount of respect for her, but one would think that someone would have told her that when she smiles she shows too much of her gums.  As a periodontist, I not only treat all different types of gum diseases and place dental implants, but I also do a lot of periodontal plastic surgery procedures. 

Gary Busey Teeth

Usually just one glimpse tells you those chiclet choppers aren’t original equipment – but not always. Cosmetic dentistry performed on celebrities has evolved a long way since George Washington put his wooden teeth in a bedside glass each night.  Hollywood also does a good job of preparing the stars for their big moment, but sometimes not by much. When something is out of proportion, the human eye picks up on horrid celebrity smiles in a split-second.  Here is an inside look at some of the worst hollywood smiles ever introduced to the world.

Austin Powers Teeth

Ricky Gervais is the first to admit that his teeth are neither white nor straight – and Americans mistakenly think he wears bad false teeth for comedic purposes. Why the dental divide?

Charlie Sheen's Teeth

Charlie Sheen appears to have had his porcelain crowns replaced with gold crowns.  The Two And Half Men star was recently released from rehab after going on a 36 hour drug binge with porn stars.  But his continued drug use has meant that it appears his porcelain crowns and/or veneers have had to be replaced with gold crowns.

Whoopi Goldberg

Several months ago, Whoopi Goldberg returned to her TV show, “The View,” after being absent for gum surgery. In this episode, she spent a few minutes discussing her personal experience with gum disease and how she will be losing her teeth. But, more importantly, Whoopi did a tremendous public service by bringing up the serious health consequences of gum disease (periodontal disease) that go well beyond losing teeth. New discoveries are revealing possible connections between gum disease and heart disease, stroke, diabetes, premature births, erectile dysfunction and cancer, for example.

George Clooney Smile

Despite being labeled as the egomaniacal, suspiciously socially active, superstars have mastered the art of smiling for the camera. Award night after award night, they grin for the public’s ever-doting gaze.  Even in 2010 – possibly the wackiest year of entertainment news headlines since celebrity blogger Perez Hilton was in diapers – some famous smiles are worth noting. Sure, there’s a good chance some of these stars have had porcelain veneers applied and a better chance that they’ve undergone teeth whitening, but who’s really keeping track? Ten celebrities in particular exhibited engaging and noteworthy smiles, and each for good reason.

Brad Pitt's Teeth

Last year, if you walked into your dentist’s office saying, “Hey, Doc, can you make my teeth look like Jessica Alba or Brad Pitt’s?” the answer would have been, “Yeah, sure – with a lot of anesthetic, drilling and permanent reconstruction.” But things have changed.

Bad Celebrity Smiles

Whether their claim to fame is starring in a hit Disney television show, earning five Grammy® Awards in one night, or marrying the lead singer of Sum 41, the following celebrities share common ground – they are rich and talented and attract attention wherever they go. Though it would seem that everyone on our list has plenty of reasons to smile, one could argue that there are 32 reasons why they shouldn’t! While these celebrities laugh and smile all the way to the bank, most of us would prefer they kept their mouths shut altogether. A chip here, a crack there, super-sized gums, and other major mouth misfortunes have landed each of the following stars a spot on my “Worst Celebrity Smiles” list.

Albert Pujols

Some years ago a young boy growing up in the Dominican Republic dreamed of becoming a big league baseball player. But the young dreamer and his family were immersed in poverty, an obstacle almost too great to overcome.

Jessica Simpson and Operation Smile

Actress and singer Jessica Simpson speaks often of a little Kenyan child named Boke who she met during a volunteer medical mission to Nakuru, Kenya in October 2005. Simpson was with a team of Operation Smile volunteers. Operation Smile is a worldwide children’s medical charity dedicated to treating children around the world born with facial deformities.

Mario Lopez: Male Celebrity Smile of The Year

Mario Lopez has been one busy man since his appearance on Dancing with the Stars in 2006. The 34-year old performer delighted audiences with his charismatic presence and incredible footwork – something that surprised him as much as it did his fans. “I knew going into it I had a little rhythm, but I didn’t know I could really do some of the routines we did.”

Jessica Alba's Smile

What’s in a smile, what’s in a face that makes it so naturally appealing? Jessica’s got it and the award for “Female Celebrity Smile of the Year”.  But why? What makes her smile so especially appealing?

Jessica Simpson

Brushing has been inculcated in almost all kids by parents and they grow up to instinctively brush as soon as they get up.  Jessica Simpson created a mini uproar when she confessed to not brushing her teeth daily.