38 Celebs Rocking Braces And Retainers In All Their Glory (2024)

Nearly 4 million people in the U.S. have braces — and some of your favorite celebs have sported them too. Some have chosen more secretive forms, like Invisalign. Others have opened up about needing a retainer after their teeth shifted, while some opted to go full-on metal later in life.

From Tom Cruise’s red carpet look to Gabrielle Union’s retainer selfie—and all the amazing yearbook photos in between—celebrities have been *so real* over the years about their dental work.

Popstar Britney Spears recently took to her IG to answer some fan questions. In the caption, though, she disclosed some info about her speech: “ps if it sounds like I have a lisp it’s because I just got a retainer.”

Teddi Mellencamp showed off her sleep lewk on her Insta, which featured pimple cream, glasses, and her retainer. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills personality said she's a real-life imitation of the “🤓” emoji. Relatable.

Gab Union always keeps it real, so it was no surprise she opened up about needing to wear her retainer. She posted a selfie with it in saying, “My teeth are moving. I have to wear my retainer.” Still cute, though.

Between Harry Potter films, Emma Watson required braces to correct her only slightly crooked teeth. She only had them for four months, but that didn’t make it easy for her. “I had terrible skin at one point and had to wear braces at another, and my weight has fluctuated between a size 6 and a 10,” Emma said, “When you’re growing, your body is still figuring itself out, and it takes a while to settle down.”

Miley got braces when she was on Hannah Montana, but if you didn’t notice them, that’s because they weren’t visible. Miley opted for lingual braces behind her teeth to straighten them out. She reportedly got porcelain veneers to preserve them.

Dakota Fanning rose to fame when she was just 7 years old, so it’s no surprise she went through major moments growing up in the public eye. She spent a lot of time talking about her teeth on TV, as this YouTube video shows, but she was genuinely excited for braces. Now, her smile is as perfect as ever.

Faith Hill sported some mouth gear at the 2013 Grammys. After having braces as a child, the country music star said she didn’t wear her retainer, so she had to get the teeth in place again at age 45.

If you swoon over Prince Harry’s smile, thank the orthodontists who gave him braces. The royal sported them in 1999, and his brother, William, had them too.

Supermodel Cindy Crawford had braces growing up to correct her overbite and crooked teeth. Later on, she had to be fitted for braces again for a Pepsi commercial. Now that’s dedication.

Yes, even Tom Cruise had dental wear. The actor known for his gorgeous smile went with nearly invisible retainers and only wore them for a few months.

At 61, Faye Dunaway got braces to take care of her teeth. At the time, Tom Cruise had just gotten his, so Faye gave it a try. "You just sort of let your teeth go for a while. But it's time to have something done,” she said.

Modern Family star Ariel Winter had braces for season two of the hit sitcom. Ariel said growing up on the show wasn’t always the easiest, and the year she had braces was the worst. “The year I had braces was an awful year for me,” according to Cinemablend. “I went through puberty over the summer. I had other things. It was an awful year for me.”

Kendall Jenner got braces when she was 13 years old, but that wasn’t her only time. She went with Invisalign when she was 17 to perfect her already amazing teeth.

American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino decided to get braces in 2008. She wore them for a year or so, and sometimes she even sports a retainer.

Angelina Jolie is another celeb who grew up in the limelight. Having attended some red carpet events as a teen, Angelina was spotted with her father Jon Voight and a mouthful of braces.

At the beginning of her tennis career, Venus Williams had braces. She also dealt with self-esteem issues because of them. “I was a teenager with braces and into sporty dresses with bright colors and cut-outs,” she said.

Just like her older sister, Serena Williams got braces toward the beginning of her career. In fact, the duo had braces for some of the same time. Later in life, Serena used Invisalign.

Flower Beauty owner and actress Drew Barrymore posted this adorable throwback on her IG. You can see the rubber bands and all!