One of the great things about dentures as a solution for tooth loss is that they can be tailored to look as realistic and befitting for your smile as possible. You can design your dentures to look a little flawed, like an authentic smile. On the other hand, you could also make your dentures look like a beautiful Hollywood smile. Creating the perfect pair of dentures is an art form.
One artist and sculptor, Jessine Hein has taken the art form of dentures to a whole new level by using them to pay homage to the late, David Bowie. Hein created a set of dentures out of acrylics, plaster, and acrylic paint that realistically portray David Bowie’s natural teeth before cosmetic dentistry.
David Bowie made a major impact on rock n’ roll in the 1970s and 80s. He was archetypally a weird person, who left his mark on society by teaching others that it’s okay to be different. David Bowie was uniquely androgynous, and he had a very distinct smile. Bowies teeth were crooked and mouse-like,
Sometime around the 90s, Bowie replaced all of his crooked teeth with a set of crowns. Hein saw Bowie’s original teeth as incredibly beautiful and wanted to capture the unique nature of his original choppers by molding them into a pair of dentures. When asked how she came up with the idea to recreate his teeth, she had many poignant reasons for carrying out her project.
Hein made the point that his teeth “were like everything else about him – different.” His original teeth were far from what we as a society would think as beautiful. They were yellow and crooked, but despite his unsightly teeth, he still had a beautiful smile that came from his eyes.
According to Hein, his teeth made him more authentic and easier for people to relate, which probably contributes to how many people he inspired. The idea to create replica dentures of David Bowie’s teeth came from Hein’s belief that teeth are an incredibly important aspect of how humans communicate. Teeth influence how we laugh, talk, and of course, sing.
Hein was intrigued with making artwork from teeth replications far before her idea to replicate Bowie’s teeth. She wasn’t new to the idea of creating dental artwork. She’d done a lot of projects in dental laboratories. For instance, she made a tooth pendant, as well as a tooth sculpted pair of knuckles. She put her dental laboratory experience to the test with her Bowie project.
Hein notes that she finds it interesting that Bowie, who was such a pioneer for eccentricities decided to normalize his teeth. Hein’s dental sculpture is trying to pay respect towards the perfection that can be found in imperfection. She manages to create order out of the chaotic shape of his teeth through a fixed sculpture. Through all of Bowie’s confidence, he still felt the need for self-improvement by fixing his smile. Like most people, Bowie took matters into his own hands by being proactive about fixing his smile.
What can we learn from Ziggy Stardust’s teeth?
Well, for one, there’s always room to improve your dental health. Just as Bowie opted to improve his dental health by getting his teeth capped, you can fix your smile with dentures. As an artist, Bowie probably had a big hand in the appearance of his smile makeover. You can turn your dentures into an art project, making sure that you get a smile that is your own interpretation of aesthetic beauty. At Advanced Dental Center of Florence, we’ll ensure that your dentures look as realistic and comfortable as possible. Celebrate your smile by feeling confident with your dentures.