“I got a bag and fixed my teeth.”
“Not the big cheap teeth that are embarrassing.”
Aside from being among some of the biggest hip-hop hits to come out in recent years, these lyrics also mark one of the biggest aesthetic changes to hit the front lines of the black entertainment industry in decades: veneers.
Now, the practice of shaving under your natural teeth to then mold an artificial tooth, typically made of either porcelain or composite synthetic resin, has been around for nearly a century. But recently, there has been an intense interest in the process in the hip-hop community. Like a custom chain or an inaugural classic Chanel flap bag, a new set of bright white teeth is a new barometer for status.
From our favorite musicians like the Grammy Award-winning rapper Cardi B in reality TV rights such as Nene Leakesyou can barely watch an episode of your favorite show or glance at a trendy music video without seeing a dazzling set of veneers.
Now, surgical enhancements and similar procedural modifications are nothing new in the hip-hop industry. (See: butt shots, BBL, ab-etching, etc.) What makes veneers particularly interesting, however, compared to other popular operations is the unique space they occupy on the status symbol pendulum, and even Those have structurally sound natural teeth still choose to undergo the procedure. As with many procedures normalized in celebrity circles, veneers have now become a status symbol en masse for the everyday person, with the global veneer market currently valued at 2.1 billion dollars.
This piece examines how celebrities are the ultimate influencers, with everything from the hairstyles they rock to the shoes they wear serving as major sources of inspiration for those looking to reach new aesthetic heights. It is almost inconceivable that their influence would extend to the oral space, making veneers one of many ways to covertly display status and proximity to wealth.
However, all that glitters isn’t gold – it’s probably porcelain, which means that veneers can and do chip or, in some cases, fall off completely. as many TikTokers have documented.
This is not to disparage veneer’s good name or convince you not to get it. As someone who has gotten two (don’t ask) braces and has had more whitening trays than I care to admit (five), I know and sympathize with the desire to have a dazzling set of pearly whites.
However, at one time underground dentists and endless pro veneer vlogs that rarely show the reality of what can go wrong, people need to get all the facts and thoroughly evaluate what veneer life is really like.
Unlike other oral enhancements popularized by the who’s who of the entertainment industry such as grills and gems for the teeth, once you shave your natural teeth, you should maintain your veneers for life, lest you run the risk of making a smile miles less aesthetically advanced than the one you had before. Like any cosmetic procedure popularized by celebrities, we must resist treating body modification as a trend. These are lifelong commitments and should be treated as such.
