On almost every episode of TLC’s hit show Toddlers & Tiaras you will see a child distraught or upset over the pressure they face. Their hair is being pulled, fake tanning sprays are being applied and thousands of dollars worth of makeup is caked onto their young little faces. But beyond all the fake accessories the dental flipper has become the most controversial.

Glitz pageant headshot

What are pageant flippers?

Pageant flippers are false teeth, normally worn on stage. The purpose of a flipper is to hide any imperfections of contestants’ teeth, so that the smile presented to the judges is not crooked or have any gaps. Not all types of pageants require or even allow the use of flippers, but for those that do, they can be very important. They do take some time to prepare for the pageant as well.

How are they made?

Flippers must be made individually, and can be quite expensive. To have a flipper made, a child first has to have an impression made of her teeth. This is typically done with a kit that can be mailed to the home so that the parents can take the impression and then send the kit to the lab by return mail.

How much do they cost?

According to Unity Smile Design, flipper impression kits cost about twenty- five dollars, upper and lower flippers are one hundred and seventy-five each but if you chose to do an upper and lower at same time the fee is three hundred dollars.   Flippers are on the more expensive side so be sure to research your pageant before purchasing one because some pageants do not allow them while others encourage flippers. Whether you chose to wear the famous false teeth or not always smile big.