Pulling teeth for fashion: dental modification in modern day Cape Town, South Africa

Friedling and Morris (2005) have reported that intentional removal of incisors as a form of dental modification is relatively common in Cape Town. In this paper we further report on the style of modification and the reasons for the modification. A survey of eight adjoining areas in the northern suburbs of the Cape Town Metropole in the Western Cape was done to investigate the current prevalence of this practice. The survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire. Three groups of study subjects (scholars, working people and retired people) were included to gain a perspective of the community in general. The individual ages ranged from 15 to 83-years-old. A total of 2167 individuals participated in this study. Forty one percent had modified their teeth. More males (44,8%) than females (37,9%) were involved in this practice. Six "styles" of modification were identified. The removal of the upper four incisors was by far the most common modification (93,7%). There were four reported reasons for dental modification i.e. gangsterism, peer pressure, fashion and medical (dental) or accidental. More than two thirds (69,8%) of individuals with modifications also wore dentures.