Special Effects for Teeth!

It's all down to Jud Paynter that I find myself writing this post about teeth. You see, I kept thinking about him and his two teeth and wondering just how they'd do that on Poldark and then I saw Chris Lyons of Fangs FX was doing the special effects teeth and well, my curiosity was roused. Surely Fangs FX is more appropriate for shows with vampires in than period dramas? Well yes - and no.

Aidan Turner in Being Human Gif via True Science Fantasy

Fangs FX have done plenty of teeth for supernatural films and TV shows: in fact, they did the werewolf teeth for Being Human, the supernatural drama which starred Aidan Turner as the vampire Mitchell. But increasingly they're being asked to do period dramas and to hide the actor's perfect teeth, so as to give them a look more in keeping with the period in which the show is set. Recently, for example, they did the teeth for Austenland.

Actors need realistic and reliable TV teeth so they feel good in character and can speak their lines with confidence. Fangs FX teeth are thin plastic veneers that only cover the front of the teeth and are held in place with a thermoplastic that moulds to the shape of the mouth. Apparently this means they don't affect an actor's speech or fall out! Not only that, but Fangs FX do a realistic gumline which can be as rotten as the special effects teeth too!

While we wait to see Phil Davis as Jud, here's a picture of him with his special effects teeth in Being Human.

Phil Davis as captain Hatch in Being Human. Pic via TV Guide