Perhaps as a result of the boffo HBO series, True Blood, the diastema has become water cooler worthy. While an informal poll of Americans gets a "Can't you get that fixed?" response, it seems that there is an underbelly of prurient enthusiasm for the gap. Before we go on, be clear the gap referred to is the one found between the upper central incisors. Like this,
True Blood is one sexy series. Vampirism has taken over the imaginations of the rank and file. Actress Anna Paquin, blessed as she is with a diastema,
plays TB's Sookie Stackhouse. She is not a vampire, but a fairy. Between her non ABO sweet blood and her flat out cuteness there is not a man on the show, vamp and non vamp, who does not desire her. Oh, and so do most of the viewers. To make matters more juicy, she has come out and said that she is bisexual (real life), doubling her admirers.
Ms. Paquin was born in Canada but she moved to New Zealand when she was four. With a talent for music, she studied classical instruments such as the cello, viola and piano. When she was eleven she received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in The Piano.
She is the third youngest person to have been awarded an Oscar. As an aside, Shirley Temple, who at the age of 6, is the youngest awardee with Tatum O'Neal coming in second as a 10 year old.. When Anna was 13, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother after her parent's divorce. The diastema never seemed to be much of an issue through the years.
The gapped toothed woman was referenced by Goeffrey Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales. In particular, the "gap-toothed wife of Bath" was portrayed as a lustful mid life lady. Somehow, through the years, the upper central diastema has been equated with female (and derivatively, male) sexuality.
Some notables, who have resisted the cosmetic dentist include Madonna, Condoleeza Rice, David Letterman, Elton John, Jane Birkin, Lauren Hutton, etc. The gap has become de rigueur for models. Here's a collage of some, along with the smiling Anna,.
Curiously the diastema can be created or made more prominent by a tongue piercing.
The repetitive thrusting of the ball against the teeth creates enough force to ultimately split the teeth. While this seemingly undesirable side effect is, at first blush, a reason to skip the lingual boring, alas, it is not. With the growing enthusiasm to diastemize, tongue piercing may get a boost in popularity. Indeed.
While the diastema can be easily corrected by braces or Invisalign or bonding, there may be less of a rush nowadays to get the "fix". Of itself, the diastema is not associated with any ill effects and there is no lack of efficiency with mastication. The gap does not render any apparent disability or weakness. So, so let it be!
Oh and as for Anna, she recently married TB costar Stephen Moyer. He's the guy on the right in this Rolling Stone cover shot.
This photo conjures up the beat of Rod Stewart's 1978 song, "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooYjf95rATg
Yes, Anna, Yes.
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