Batman's most famous nemesis, The Joker, has been around since the 1940s. Beyond his outrageous behavior and criminal mischief, this bad boy boasts a notorious, one-of-a-kind smile. While most of us favor straight, pearly whites - courtesy of our favorite cosmetic dentist - we can't help but be a little curious about the joker's toothy history.
A smile to remember
Class clown-turned-homicidal-maniac, The Joker instantly wormed his way into hearts and homes as he delighted in baffling authority and killing his victims in the most creative ways. Looking more like a circus clown than a menace, his purple suit, green dress shirt, and matching hair offered a glimpse of harmless revelry... until readers saw the face. Vivid white skin with blood-red lips, and a smile seemingly cut to the skin. Horrifyingly perfect Chiclet teeth led into extended gums.
Without that grin, The Joker might have been just another notch on the Giant Bat's utility belt. But there was something sinister there that kept the energy buzzing between good and evil counterparts. And even when his foils were found, the Cheshire grin could still be seen aglow, fading into the shadows - hidden, but never quite defeated. In the early comics, his pearly whites matched his pale complexion to a tee, however the story (and the teeth) changed as his popularity grew.
The Evolution of DC's Favorite Psychopath
Batman sprang onto television screens across the country in the 1960s with Adam West as the charismatic front man. The beloved TV series wouldn't have been complete without Cesar Romero's ingenious portrayal of the "Clown Prince of Crime." But the white-toothed villain that graced the comic book pages looked quite different on the small screen. The Joker's white face makeup clashed garishly with the pearly whites of Hollywood's leading man. To audiences, the yellowing smile of the The Joker's served to reinforce his bad-boy status.
Two decades passed before the chaotic criminal strutted his stuff on the silver screen, but Jack Nicholson's portrayal was worth the wait. Styled closely to the comic book character, the maniacal mastermind presented by Nicholson reminded just why The Joker remains the criminal we love hate. This film version gave us a haunting look at how the monster's deformity came to be, and it included that unsettling, ugly yellow grin.
While Nicholson kept The Joker fun and frisky, Heath Ledger dug deeper into the troubled villain's psyche. Swapping playfulness for psychopathy, Ledger's Joker morphed into a murderous monster with a magician's flair for rage and fury.
More recent comics and animations have run with an image of The Joker's teeth as a focal point: elongated crowns, excessive gums, and that now-familiar yellowing. Apparently, it's difficult to maintain proper oral health when you're evil.
Suicide Squad Sightings
"Wait until they get a load of me..."
We got a taste, and we want more. The Suicide Squad motion picture release completely twists The Joker into a modern chaotic cad unlike anything we've seen before. Long gone are the comedic wit and well-placed punch lines. Jared Leto's portrayal is the darkest yet. Beyond the trademark green hair, pale skin, and sinister smile are threatening tattoos, plenty of bling, and a mouthful of metal that transform a previous foil into an asylum-worthy adversary.
What's with those teeth? Rumor has it The Joker's story features flashbacks showing Leto in endentulous agony. Was it the caped crusader who led The Joker to his toothless state? And what drove him to choose a metal smile over trendier cosmetic dentistry options?
If you, like The Joker, find yourself in need of a smile makeover, don't take Leto's unorthodox path. Instead, contact Sachar Dental for a smile so beautiful it's criminal.
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