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Friday, December 2, 2011

TEETH

Have you noticed how homogeneous teeth have become? I mean all across the board in Hollywood on TV etc. Impossibly white Chic-let teeth prevail. I happen to think it's boring and well, unrealistic.

In October my dentist told me that I would need braces. I have one tooth that's ever so slightly snaggled. It never bothered me until people started pointing it out. I actually had one bold *dude* tell me that I would have such a pretty smile if it wasn't for my snaggle. I have endured family telling me to smile with my mouth closed. Really? Because of all this I have become so self-conscious about my smile. And, I'm not so sure about the prospect of dropping thousands on teeth straighteners.

I understand that for some there are jaw and bite issues/reasons for braces. But, it seems to me that more and more dentists are pushing cosmetic dentistry these days. Don't get me wrong I actually LOVE my dentist. But I'm talking about dentistry in general. Everywhere you go there are billboards for whitening procedures and bonding procedures - and more and more dentists are taking out healthy (albeit a bit crooked teeth) and replacing them with implants.

Here is some info. on tooth whitening procedures from Topdentists.com

Teeth whitening procedures are performed to reduce the discoloration and staining of teeth and have become the most popular cosmetic dental procedures today according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD).

The demand for teeth whitening products has increased by more than 300% over the past 5 years. Women are more likely to have a teeth whitening procedure, but men are quickly realizing the advantages of seeking a brighter smile. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, between 1/4 to 1/3 of teeth whitening patients are men.

Teeth whitening is the most popular cosmetic dental procedure among patients between the ages of 20-50. This age group represents a majority of the American workforce. People in this age group have become increasingly interested not only in looking and feeling better, but also in using cosmetic procedures to enhance their careers by presenting a more attractive image.

What really frightens me is not so much the whitening, but that dental implants are being marketed as being cosmetic. And it is a pretty painful procedure. You can read about what it involves at the Dental Implant Procedure Site here.

While I was in Southern California this past Thanksgiving holiday - I noticed how many young women I saw had uber white perfectly straight Stepford-smile teeth. (Yes I am referring to the Stepford Wives). It's a bit creepy to be bombarded with homogenized smiles.

So, I really want to celebrate women and men in show biz that have kept their unique and interesting smiles. After all, boring is not beautiful.









There are other out there. I'd love to know what you think about this type of über-cosmetic care. I shudder thinking about chic-let teeth, and don't get me started on fake-tans...

7 comments:

  1. I LOVE quirky and crooked smiles! But that is really different from "bad teeth" or poor dental care/hygiene (which is one of biggest turn offs). I was thinking about perfect teeth the other day when it occurred to me that people of my generation pretty much all have them. Braces, whitening, and even veneers (as we get older and make more money) are a manner of course. Maybe it's the one thing about our appearance that we can control?

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  2. Having had to get dental implants at a young age because of a potential jaw issue, I can attest to the fact that the procedure SUCKS. And it's not like you do it, recover, and you're done. There are like three steps, spread out over a year. If I could go back in time, I'd probably skip it altogether and hope for the best for my jaw.

    I like unique looking teeth like those above! Totally! At the same time I'm also self-conscious about my teeth not being "white enough." Since you can't whiten implants, it's not really an option for me unless I wanna shell out $1500 for new ones. Which maybe is a good thing, cause I just feel forced to embrace what I've got and not worry about it. Because seriously? Spending that much cash on my teeth color? That's crazy.

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  3. I'm sorry that people have made you feel self-conscious about your smile. I'm sure that guy thought he was paying you a compliment or being helpful, but seriously, who says stuff like that?

    I had a similar experience with my dentist. The very first time I saw a new doctor, he immediately recommended braces. Which is especially annoying, since I had braces all through high school. My teeth have grown apart ever so slightly, which my dentist saw as unsightly I guess? It doesn't bother me though, so I wouldn't spend the money on fixing it. And I can't imagine enduring such a painful procedure as dental implants if it's for cosmetic reasons.

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  4. I've read that crooked/imperfect teeth are considered to be very cute and desirable in Japan! I have one crooked tooth; it used to bother me, but now I don't mind it at all. I certainly think they can be charming on other people - especially cute little gaps!

    I like the look of white teeth, personally, but am not offended by yellowish teeth to the extent that many others needlessly are - it is natural, after all, and not indicative of poor hygiene or anything. My teeth are kinda yellow and I do get self-conscious about it. Oh, well!

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  5. EEK! I had to have braces when I was younger because I had a bad underbite. And they were so painful! Why would anyone want to endure such pain voluntarily?!! That is preposterous. Besides, even after all those years with metal-mouth, my teeth still are not flawless. There is no such thing as flawless. I hope you will keep your smile as is. All that money and pain is not worth it for just one tooth and pleasing others. And how rude of them for saying that to you! Geeze.

    www.thequirkypoet.blogspot.com

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  6. Unless truly necessary, I would never consider having cosmetic dental work. I might have a few less than perfect teeth, i might have a small gap between my front ones, they might be a bit discolored from excessive coffee consumption.... but I love my smile just as it is.

    Of course, really bad teeth can be a bit of a turn off, and in that respect, I think it's good that its so common place and widely accepted, so those who truly need it can get it without having any sort of stigma attached.

    I sometimes find it interesting to watch old movies and see some actors with really, really bad teeth. and it certainly never hurt their careers!

    Chic on the Cheap

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  7. I like imperfect teeth. My top ones are straight and some of my bottom ones arent, I'm a firm believer they arent meant to be perfect!! I actually was supposed to have my wisdom teeth taken out last week but I chickened out after realizing it was mistake (I was getting pain from my jaw not my wisdom teeth) and was feeling bullied by the dentist to have them removed anyway.

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