What Happened To Britney Spears' Teeth?

Britney Spears is a pop icon better known for chart-topping hits than for her trips to the orthodontist, but at the peak of her fame, she was on the front cover of every magazine imaginable, flashing the biggest smile that showcased her perfect white chompers. Ironically, this same smile later fueled speculation among her fans when noticeable changes appeared in her Instagram posts. Her once-flawless ivories had grown a gap, leading to some growing convinced that the Britney twirling around in her kitchen and occasionally playing with knives isn't Britney at all — but a body double.

Even after the #FreeBritney movement that helped the "Oops I Did It Again" singer break free from her years-long conservatorship, the conspiracy theories continue to swirl. Some of her fans who are still worried about the well-being singer have been adamant that her changed smile is a dead giveaway that Spears probably isn't free after all. "Mmmhmm. Since when does Britney have a gap in her teeth? Do they really think we are that stupid? #thatisnotBritney," one fan tweeted, with another saying, "It's not Britney look at her teeth. Britney has perfect teeth the imposter does not."

So, what gives? Is the woman in those bizarre dance videos actually an imposter, as revealed by the now-gappy smile? Well, according to a dentist, it's more likely that Spears just hasn't kept up with her dental aesthetic treatments. So, yes, that gap-toothed woman probably is every bit the Spears we know and love — just a little less polished than we remember.

The gap in Britney Spears' teeth spotted on Instagram probably isn't a sign that she's being cosplayed by someone else. Since she's no longer as active in the industry as she used to be —although there are rumors that she's going to make a big musical comeback at some point — it seems that she's not just as invested in maintaining her iconic smile. An eagled-eyed Reddit user even noted the gap predates all the conspiracy theories. "Why are y'all all of a sudden noticing her teeth? They have been spaced since 2020, Maybe since 2019," they wrote.

A dentist weighed in, suggesting the change might stem from years of forgoing general upkeep. "This is gum disease from decades of smoking and neglect. This causes bone loss and subsequent teeth shifting," they explained. "Her case appears pretty severe, unfortunately. She's definitely not taking care of herself, at least from an oral hygiene perspective." Given Spears' long period under conservatorship, however, the blame may not entirely fall on her shoulders.

Historically, Spears has long been a fan of cosmetic dental procedures. She even graced the dental bonding page of celebrity dentist Dr. Kevin Sands' website, where it's suggested that dental bonding, which is reversible, was used to perfect her smile. Dr. Sands even credits the singer with boosting his career, once revealing to W Magazine, "Britney Spears was one of my first patients. She just came here out of the blue." Clearly, it might be time for a dental reunion!

All this chatter about Britney Spears' teeth would likely displease the pop icon, considering her past insecurities about her smile. Reminiscing on her childhood in an Instagram post, Spears shared how she once felt unattractive, especially when comparing herself to her peers.

"I stopped having bangs in the 3rd grade and I remember like it was yesterday... it was such a big deal to expose my forehead," she wrote. "Only pretty people in the south could do that and I never felt pretty enough to pull it off. All the beauty pageant girls did it but I never felt beauty pageants were my thing ... I had bad teeth and felt like an ugly duckling." But as we all know, Spears morphed into a beautiful pop icon loved by millions around the world. She even reportedly joined pageants herself when she was young, with the trophies now displayed in a museum in her hometown.

And it looks like Spears has managed to deal with her self-image issues, learning how to practice self-love and weaving positivity into her daily routine. "Positive affirmations are important to me at the moment," she penned in another post. "l'm taking it one day at a time and learning to breathe. Self love is so unbelievably important !!! woke up and just cried because I felt grateful to be in such a beautiful place."