Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, appears to have added a titanium structure to his teeth, another massive stunt from the controversial producer and recording artist who is nearing the release of another album.
“The technical term is fixed prosthodontics. They are fixed and permanent. This goes way beyond veneers or grills. It’s quite unlike anything that has been done before,” said a person close to Ye, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not have permission to speak publicly on Ye’s behalf. “It’s experimental dentistry to say the least.
“All that said, his teeth weren’t removed,” the person said.
The procedure, which created a denture-like structure unique to Ye’s teeth, cost $850,000, according to the person.
The prosthodontics were designed by Ye and a team of dentists and cosmetic surgeons, the person close to Ye said. Thomas Connelly, a Beverly Hills-based dentist who has designed custom dental art for entertainers and athletes, manufactured the model to fit Ye.
“Ye was a pleasure to work with every step of the process,” Connelly told the Daily Mail. “His vision for designing unique art transcends the dental progression.”
Many on social media wondered if Ye had removed his teeth at all, with some headlines suggesting Ye had replaced his teeth. Dental technician Naoki Hayashi, who reportedly worked on the new prosthesis, posted a photo of an article to his Instagram Story that suggested the teeth were removed and replaced with dentures. “Kanye West!!! New fashion!!” Hayashi wrote.
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Ye has a history of changing the design of his teeth. He told Ellen DeGeneres in 2010 that he replaced the bottom row of his teeth with diamonds and gold implants.
“It’s really my real teeth. I replaced my bottom row of teeth,” he said. “I guess there’s just certain things that rock stars are supposed to do.”
The latest stunt comes as Ye, once again, prepares to release a collaboration album with Ty Dolla $ign titled “Vultures,” which was originally set to drop in January and has since been pushed back to February. Ye drew headlines in December after posting an apology in Hebrew about a number of antisemitic rants dating back to 2022.
