Famous Singers with Dentures: Why They're Hard to Find
Singers facing the prospect of dentures will look to those around them for reassurance. Finding famous singers who are experiencing the same challenges is encouraging and proves that your singing career is not over. However, this article will shed some light on why famous singers with dentures are hard to find, but also offer hope that you will still be able to sing.
Dentures can change a singer's resonance and diction. Although you can learn to adapt to this, famous singers usually do not opt for dentures due to their instability. Wealth and reputation leads most to a permanent fix, such as Whitney Houston's dental prosthesis, or Frank Sinatra's crowns.
You can learn more about why celebrities don't use dentures below and how dentures can affect your singing. I have also included a list of famous singers who have overcome some form of dental remodelling.
Famous Singers and Dentures
Searching for famous singers with dentures will often leave you empty-handed. This is mainly due to these two reasons:
- Celebrities feel the pressure to look perfect for the cameras and are not likely to share personal cosmetic information (like having dentures).
- Traditional dentures have been taken over by newer technologies, such as implants and veneers, which are easily accessible to the rich and famous.
Most singers these days have dental veneers and, in most cases, they are only used to fix minor aesthetic imperfections. Those that have more serious work to be done will opt for implants, bridges or crowns over removable dentures. I will explain why below.
The Affect of Dentures on Singing
Dentures are a foreign object in your mouth and therefore take some getting used to. Most people who wear dentures are still able to sing and can adapt to overcome the issues listed below. However, these are still changes that you should consider before choosing dentures.
Altered Resonance
Having a foreign object in your mouth when singing will alter the resonance of your voice. This is because sound bounces off smooth flat surfaces and is amplified by more space. Dentures reduce both the smooth contour of your mouth and the space available.
They also make it harder to open your mouth wide when singing because big movements like this can cause the dentures to become loose. Anything that is designed to be removed from the mouth will cause this problem.
Reduced Clarity
Dentures also make it harder to pronounce certain sounds. This can make diction more difficult and your voice less clear.
Lack of Confidence
Most people with dentures become worried that the dentures will fall out. This leads to a lack of confidence when talking or singing, which can affect your overall performance. A lack of confidence makes it harder to reach high notes and move freely.
Why Famous Singers Don't Use Dentures
The reasons listed above may not be an issue for someone singing on the side. But for someone who sings as a career, these things may jeopardise their career. Because there are a number of alternatives, famous singers opt for a more fixed solution in their mouth.
Dental implants, crowns, caps, bridges and veneers are all examples of dental remodelling that is designed to be permanent. The artificial tooth is fixed to existing teeth or drilled into the underlying bone. These solutions mean there is very little chance that the fake tooth or teeth will dislodge.
They also follow the natural contour of your original teeth, meaning that the resonance in your mouth is not affected. These solve all the problems listed above.
The reason dentures are still offered is because they are a much cheaper alternative. However, anyone famous has the money to pay for a more permanent solution.
Choosing a more permanent solution also protects the singer's reputation. We all know how cruel the media can be when a celebrity is proven to be just like everyone else. A fixed remodel almost guarantees that nothing will fall out during a performance.
Famous Singers with Dental Remodelling
There are actually many singers who have had dental remodelling at some point. Below is a list of some of the most popular. Keep in mind that this list is based on the best available knowledge and some singers have not confirmed or denied the use of dental remodelling.
- Whitney Houston
- Frank Sinatra
- Jon Bon Jovi
- Hilary Duff
- Courtney Love
- 50 Cent
- Cheryl Cole
- Miley Cyrus
- Bruce Springsteen
- Celine Dion
- Keyshia Cole
- Keith Urban
Most of these famous singers have chosen to remodel their smile for cosmetic purposes. As I mentioned earlier, the media can be very cruel and even celebrities can feel self-conscious about their appearance.
These people have been led to believe that they need straighter, whiter and tighter teeth to look glamorous. Dental veneers or crowns offer them the instant fix.
There are also more serious reasons why some of these singers chose dental remodelling. Whitney Houston, for example, required a maxillary dental prosthesis after she lost many of her teeth to drug habits. 50 Cent, on the other hand, required dental remodelling after being shot and losing two of his teeth.
The moral of the story is that there are many singers who have lost teeth or remodelled their smile, yet still put on an amazing performance. But because they have the money, they chose a more permanent solution.
Can Singers Have Dentures?
Overall, you can still sing perfectly well with dentures. There are many people who have dentures and you wouldn't even know unless you saw them take them out.
The issues with resonance and diction are usually overcome by adjusting how you sing. Most people become used to how the dentures sit and feel in their mouth and can still speak normally. There are also adhesives available to prevent them from de-stabilising throughout the day or during a performance.
If you have the money, fake teeth that are fixed to your existing teeth or to the bone will allow you to continue singing as you have always done. But if you can only afford dentures or prefer a less-invasive solution, you will learn to adapt your voice.