Flawlessness has complications. Perfect teeth, long a Hollywood ideal, have now become the onscreen standard for A-list actors. The rise of orthodontia and the fall of smoking have played roles in bringing about this new normal. But the key factor has undoubtedly been the historic conquest of veneers.
While there are notable holdouts — including Willem Dafoe and Kirsten Dunst (who has said of her crooked smile, “That’s what makes me special”) — these days there seems to be an inexorable pull in the industry to go from individualistic snaggle to symmetrical dazzle. This can run upward of $60,000 for a complete set of veneers from one of the town’s top cosmetic dentists. But that’s often deemed worth it in a merciless age of high-def TVs and zoomable photos on social media. After all, second-rate work might mean risking the uncanny “Chiclet” effect and its attendant public scorn.
Hollywood’s most in-demand veneer specialists contend that while for some clients the brighter and whiter the better, they prefer to practice toned-down naturalism. “It’s about designing for your face, following your anatomy and contours,” explains Dr. Sam Saleh, whose clientele includes The Weeknd, Doja Cat, and Real Housewives castmembers. Dr. Kevin Sands, whose practice draws the likes of Emma Stone, Miles Teller and Kim Kardashian, agrees: “On a weekly basis, people say, ‘I want [my teeth] to look like Kim Kardashian.’ Well, Kim’s teeth look perfect for Kim.”
