Kirsten Dunst Teeth — Before & After Smile Transformation
Important Medical Information
The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional dental advice. Always consult with a qualified cosmetic dentist before making treatment decisions. Individual results may vary based on your specific dental condition and chosen treatment plan.
Kirsten Dunst's smile has long been a topic of fascination in Hollywood – not for a dramatic cosmetic makeover, but for her choice to embrace her natural teeth in an industry obsessed with perfection. Over the years, Dunst was often encouraged to 'fix' her slightly crooked teeth, yet she resisted and turned her unique smile into a personal trademark.
First Major Work
Ongoing maintenance
Likely Procedures
Professional teeth whitening, Minor contouring
Notable Features
Natural Smile Enhancement
U.S. Cost to Emulate
$5,000 - $10,000
Timeline: Kirsten Dunst's Teeth, Before & After
2019 (Fun Fact: Fake Braces for Role)
In 2019, Dunst took on a role that did require a dental change – but only temporarily and humorously. While starring in the TV series On Becoming a God in Central Florida, her character wears braces. Dunst did not actually get braces; instead, she wore a removable prop appliance that snapped over her teeth during filming. She found the experience amusingly gross, recalling how the fake braces caused her to drool on set. This anecdote underscores that even for a role, Dunst didn't permanently alter her teeth – the braces were just movie magic.
1990s (Child and Teen Years)
In Dunst's earliest roles (such as Interview with the Vampire in 1994 and The Virgin Suicides in 1999), she had a youthful smile that naturally changed as she grew. Baby teeth gave way to adult teeth, and by her teens she already had the slight crookedness in her upper front teeth. Photos from Bring It On (2000) show that her top incisors were a bit misaligned even then. Her grin was often described as 'adorably crooked' – it suited her girl-next-door image at the time.
Early 2000s (Spider-Man Era)
During Spider-Man filming (circa 2001–2002), Dunst's teeth became a talking point due to the attempted intervention by producers. However, on-screen and in premieres for the Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), she retained her natural smile. Close-ups in those films clearly show her unique dental alignment, which some critics pounced on. Still, many fans appreciated that she 'did not change her looks and go all Hollywood' during this period. The only 'change' was on marketing materials – for example, the 2002 Spider-Man poster was edited (airbrushed) to straighten her teeth for a perfectly toothy grin, a fact Dunst herself has pointed out.
Mid/Late 2000s (Embracing Individuality)
By 2005, Dunst was openly embracing her smile's quirks. This was the year she gave the quote, 'Messed-up teeth are so sexy,' indicating she had zero intention of fixing them. Around this time, magazines sometimes commented on her 'snaggletooth' appearance, but Dunst consistently turned it into a point of pride rather than shame. No orthodontic treatment (braces, aligners) was undertaken during this time. Paparazzi and event photos from 2007 and 2008 (e.g., during press for Marie Antoinette or Spider-Man 3) show the same smile gap and overlap that she had earlier in the decade.
2010s (Consistent Natural Look)
Throughout the 2010s, Dunst's smile remained her natural one. If one compares, say, her grin in Bring It On (2000) to her grin in the TV series Fargo Season 2 (2015) or the film Hidden Figures premiere (2016), the alignment of her teeth is largely the same. Her upper front teeth are still slightly overlapping and her lateral incisors still create that fang-like effect. 'There have been no orthodontic treatments to straighten or re-space those teeth,' one dental review of her before-and-after photos concluded.
2020s (Continued Natural Beauty)
Entering the 2020s, Kirsten Dunst's teeth were still recognizably the same, even as she reached her late 30s and early 40s. In 2021, during press for The Power of the Dog (for which she received an Oscar nomination), her smile showed the familiar quirks. A journalist interviewing her noted she was happily crunching on a raw carrot with her 'unaltered incisors' as she recounted the Spider-Man dentist story. By 2023-2024, Dunst's public appearances (such as awards shows and premieres after her brief hiatus) showed a smile that perhaps looked 'a little bit softened and more refined' in some eyes, simply because of maturation and possibly minor touch-ups like whitening.
Procedures & Evidence (What changed and how)
Expert Analysis
Dr. Laurence Rifkin
Beverly Hills Cosmetic Dentist
Dr. Rifkin praised Dunst as 'a beautiful woman with a smile that is unique even with the overlapping of a couple of teeth,' but he also commented on a potential issue: 'overlapping teeth cause shadows under certain lighting conditions, making some teeth appear much darker than others.' Dr. Rifkin noted this could be corrected by orthodontics or invisible braces if desired.
Dental Professionals
General Consensus
Dentists have confirmed that her teeth, while not perfectly aligned, show no signs of disease or decay – they have always appeared clean, intact, and strong. Any illusion of discoloration in some photos was usually due to shadows from the way her teeth overlap, not actual cavities or stains. 'Her teeth generally look healthy – they have a natural ivory-white color and a smooth, intact appearance,' one dental clinic wrote, adding that despite the quirky alignment, 'there is no evidence that Kirsten Dunst has decaying teeth.'
Sofia Coppola
Director and Mentor
Notably, director Sofia Coppola (who directed Dunst in 1999's The Virgin Suicides) encouraged the young actress to never change her teeth. 'Sofia said to me when I was 16, 'Don't ever change your teeth,'' Dunst shared. Having a cool, respected female director praise her imperfect smile gave Dunst the validation to ignore the naysayers. 'The fact that the coolest girl liked how I looked, that's what preserved me,' Dunst said, explaining that Coppola's support gave her confidence at a vulnerable age.
Procedures Breakdown
Natural Smile Maintenance
Kirsten Dunst's case is often cited to illustrate that cosmetic perfection isn't medically necessary for a healthy, beautiful smile. Dentists have confirmed that her teeth, while not perfectly aligned, show no signs of disease or decay – they have always appeared clean, intact, and strong. Any illusion of discoloration in some photos was usually due to shadows from the way her teeth overlap, not actual cavities or stains.
Professional Teeth Whitening
The differences observed in this decade were subtle: as she got older, her teeth perhaps appeared a bit brighter – likely due to regular professional cleanings or the occasional whitening treatment, which many actors do for camera-ready smiles. Also, normal wear-and-tear over time can smooth out the edges of teeth; by her mid-30s, the tips of Dunst's teeth may have naturally evened out microscopically compared to her teenage years.
Digital Editing for Marketing
It's also worth noting that dentistry has advanced to more subtle image enhancements – for example, digital edits are often used in post-production or marketing (as with the Spider-Man poster) to create the illusion of perfect teeth without the actor undergoing a procedure. Dunst indirectly benefited from this: whenever a role truly 'required' a perfect smile, the team simply faked it digitally, allowing her to keep her actual teeth untouched.
Resistance to Cosmetic Pressure
From early in her career, Kirsten Dunst faced pressure to conform to Hollywood's cosmetic ideals – particularly regarding her teeth. In the early 2000s, as she landed her iconic role as Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man (2002), a producer attempted to have 19-year-old Dunst visit a dentist to straighten her smile. She was literally driven to a dentist's office under the pretext of a 'meeting,' only realizing their intent when she arrived. Dunst balked at the surprise makeover attempt – she never even got out of the car. 'I was like, 'Mmmmm, no, I like my teeth,'' she recalled telling the producer.
Cost & How to Get the Look
Cost Estimate
$5,000 - $10,000
A transformation like this can cost $5,000 - $10,000 in the U.S.
Cost Breakdown
Financing Options
Many patients use CareCredit or similar financing to spread the cost over time.
Example: $5,000 - $10,000 over 24 months = ~$1,200/month
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & Image Credits
Research Sources
This analysis is based on comprehensive research from entertainment publications, dental professional commentary, and public interviews. All dental procedure assertions are grounded in observable changes and expert analysis.
- • Entertainment publications and media reports
- • Professional dental analysis and commentary
- • Public interviews and red carpet appearances
- • Before and after photo analysis
Image Credits
All images are used for editorial purposes. Before and after photos are sourced from public appearances and media coverage. Images are used under fair use for educational and informational purposes.
Timeline
Ongoing maintenance
Dentist
General dentist
