The Asian market has always been a colourful place for fashion trends, and the latest craze is no less interesting, Japanese women are going mad for crooked smiles, known as the ‘yaeba’ or ‘double tooth’ look. Cosmetic dentists in Tokyo have been inundated with requests for treatment to crowd the teeth and attach temporary ‘mini-fangs’ to the canines, which is meant to give the women of Japan a more child-like appearance.
According to the New York Times, the procedure is designed to make women appear more youthful, and derives from the look that occurs when the baby teeth are prevented from erupting. Dr Emilie Zaslow, of Pace University, said that ‘The naturally occurring yaeba is because of delayed baby teeth, or a mouth that’s too small.’ Then, rather worryingly, she added ‘It’s this kind of emphasis on youth and sexualisation of young girls.’
In recent years, show business has displayed varying dental trends, who could overlook the gapped smiles of Madonna, or Georgia Jagger? And this new fashion also has its advocates; the snaggle-toothed grin of Kirsten Dunst is being splashed all over Facebook and Japanese TV, hailed as a trend-setter. It seems the pearly white smile of LA’s finest are out of style; California dentist Vincent Devaud is in favour of a deliberate dash of imperfection, saying ‘What makes a person desirable and attractive? It’s not the symmetry, it’s perfect imperfections.’