Sometimes that million-dollar smile really does cost a pretty penny.
As Alec Baldwin joked in the SNL50 special earlier this year, “All new cast members arrive here with no money and jacked-up teeth. But by year three, you better believe they’re getting third-year veneers.”
His former costar Amy Poehler is a shining example: Revealing that she got veneers while on the show, Poehler noted on her podcast in April that she probably wouldn’t have gotten the dental upgrade if she weren’t working in Hollywood, saying, “I think, where I came from in Massachusetts… I think I just wouldn’t mind my chip.” (The comedian was responding to Paige DeSorbo’s proclamation that veneers “never look good” — she immediately stood corrected, telling Poehler hers “looked great.”)
On the other hand, celebs like The White Lotus’ Aimee Lou Wood — whose unique smile has prompted widespread conversation — are embracing their natural pearly whites and looking great while doing so.
Us Weekly spoke with dental experts Dr. Marie Jackson and Dr. Victoria Rose Veytsman to learn more about veneers and whether stars really need them:
What Are Veneers?
Veneers are custom-made porcelain laminates designed to improve smile aesthetics.
“Typically, veneers can be used to achieve various different results from changing the color of the teeth, the size of the teeth [and] the shape of the smile,” Veytsman told Us. “When we do veneers, we go through a whole process of smile design. We take into account the patient’s facial features. I look at the smile not just as an isolated part of the face, but as an integral part of facial aesthetics and function.”
The celebrity cosmetic dentist estimates veneers run at about $3,500-$5,000 per tooth — and they’re typically not covered by insurance.
They’re Not For Everyone
Wood credits model Georgia May Jagger for inspiring her to keep her natural smile after she became the face of Rimmel London in 2009. “All of a sudden, it went from me being goofy to, ‘Oh, you’re a bit of a model, aren’t you?’” explained Wood. “So I want to thank Georgia May Jagger for representing the buck teeth.”
When she sparked a cultural conversation after appearing on Max’s hit series The White Lotus, the English actress said the praise she was getting from fans for embracing her natural teeth “feels so lovely. A real full-circle moment after being bullied for my teeth forever.”
Jackson told Us that individuals — even celebrities — have unique characteristics of their smiles that contribute to their personalities, and those don’t always need to be “fixed.”
“I love when people have characterization of their teeth. I do. And I’m not changing mine,” the New Jersey-based dentist told Us. “I think it’s something where it speaks to their level of confidence, but there’s nothing wrong with making those changes if you see fit… Provided that someone’s teeth are healthy, they can eat with them, they can speak well with them and it’s not causing any harm, I think it’s perfectly fine to keep teeth the way they grew in your mouth.”
Finding a Happy Medium
Not every veneer-enhanced smile needs to be flawless: Veytsman said sometimes she and her clients build in natural imperfections within veneers to reflect the person’s “character and personality.”
Jackson uses Scarlett Johansson as an example of very “subtle” and “well-done” veneers.
“I also think Aimee’s an amazing example for young girls and women,” Veytsman added. “I think that the focus should be less on appearance. As a cosmetic dentist, of course, [I think] we should really do what we can to feel our most confident selves. But I really think the focus should be less on how we look and more on what we’re doing and the impact we’re actually having. And I think Aimee’s done an incredible job with that.”
After all, veneers or not, it’s hard to imagine stars like Ayo Edebiri or Johansson with any other smile than their own.
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