Hollywood’s hottest celebrities have plenty to smile about — but as this list suggests, fame and fortune don’t always guarantee the perfect smile. Many stars struggle with the same dental problems as everyone else, including gaps between teeth, extended gum lines, and overbites. So we asked dental health experts which famous faces need the most help with their grins.
While some dentally-challenged celebs claim to love their quirky smiles (and we agree!), our experts filled us in on the fixes — from teeth whitening to gum reshaping — they’d perform if they got them in the dentist’s chair.
Lindsay Lohan
Although she rose to fame for playing a squeaky-clean teen in the remake of The Parent Trap, Lindsay Lohan, 25, may be more known for her rehab visits and court appearances. Also now infamous: her uneven, decaying teeth, which were on display during a recent red carpet appearance.
“This type of damage appears to be from a combination of smoking, drug use, and lack of personal care,” says Pankaj Singh, DDS, of Arch Dental Associates in New York City. “At Lohan’s young age, smoking alone wouldn’t cause the decay and browning you see around her gums. Damage like that is something we might see in patients who are using or have used drugs.”
Dr. Singh would recommend Lohan immediately stop any dental-damaging behavior. “Then she would need local gum therapy and to rebuild the teeth using veneers or crowns,” he says.
Cynthia Nixon
Just because Cynthia Nixon is one of Sex & the City’s original fab four, doesn’t mean she couldn’t use some help with her smile. According to Richard Winter, DDS, of Hampton Dental Associates, who specializes in reconstructive dentistry in Milwaukee, this famous redhead has a class 2, division 2 overbite. That means that the teeth surrounding the front teeth stick out further than they should. “She would benefit from braces to correct the overbite,” he says.
Another dental dilemma? Nixon’s smile reveals a bit too much of her gums, says Dr. Winters. “She would benefit from some gum reshaping [a procedure that trims away the gum via laser or surgery] to make her front teeth more symmetrical.”
Kirsten Dunst
She’s dubbed them her “snaggle fangs,” but Kirstin Dunst likes her trademark pointy teeth just the way they are. “They give me character, and character is sexy,” she recently told Elle UK. But if Dunst wanted to smooth out her smile, Theodore Ritota, DDS, of Ritota & Ritota in Delray Beach, Fla., would recommend crowns on her six front teeth to keep them from protruding. Dunst also has an overbite, which could be corrected with braces that would level and align her teeth, says Winter.
Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi is known for his offbeat characters — and his off-kilter smile definitely helps him play the part. But that doesn’t mean his smile is healthy. “It looks like he has gum disease, and we’d need to correct his bite,” Dr. Ritota said of Buscemi’s oral health. Gum disease can be treated with regular profession deep cleanings, medications (such as antibiotics like chlorhexidine, doxycycline, and tetracycline, or the antibiotic-containing toothpaste triclosan) or — in severe situations — surgery. Ritota also recommends braces and crowns to straighten out his smile.
Anna Paquin
Oscar-winning actress Anna Paquin receives blood-sucking bites from vampires on the hit HBO show True Blood, but she could also use a little help with her own set of fangs. “The space between her two front teeth is overpowering her smile,” says Ritota. “Closing the gap makes for a much prettier smile.” Dr. Winter suggests orthodontics, which would realign the teeth, as well as veneers, which could make her teeth more symmetrical and her smile more aesthetically pleasing.
Woody Harrelson
Though Woody Harrelson’s smile seems to suit him (even Ritota agrees that Harrelson’s dental problems give him character), “he could probably get away with having his front four teeth veneered, closing the space and giving him a more symmetrical smile.” In addition, Winter says Harrelson’s teeth are on the small side, and that he could benefit from gum reshaping and crown lengthening to create a wider tooth surface. “By reshaping his gums, the teeth could become wider and sexier.” And don’t forget bleaching — brightening his pearly whites would help make Harrelson’s smile look younger, says Winter.