May the force be with you! In honor of May the 4th, we’re featuring 3 fun behind-the-scenes tooth facts from Star Wars.
- Dental Technicians Work on Set
- Camera Technology Is Placed on Teeth
- A Tooth Polisher Provided the Sound for the Millennium Falcon
Huge films with even bigger special effects have giant costume teams, including dental technicians. There are a number of prosthetics needed to create the world of Star Wars and that includes prosthetic teeth. One dental technician who worked on a Star Wars film said some of his favorite prosthetics were bright blue teeth and fluorescent red gums. Because space creatures need teeth, too!
In the most recent Star Wars film, The Force Awakens, motion capture dots were used to record the movements of the actors, including their teeth! These dots captured movements like smiles and facial expressions so they could be recreated with accuracy when artists put together the CGI for the film so the technology is half live-action, half computer animation. For example, Lupita Nyong’o had to sit for a 4-hour transformation every day when shooting her scenes for her character Maz Kanata to get her dots perfectly positioned.
The Star Wars films feature a lot of special sound effects, from Darth Vader’s iconic breathing to the zoom of the lightsabers slicing through the air. You may think that a lot of these sound effects are made with advanced technology, but many are made with common everyday objects you could find in your house. Dentistry tools were actually used to create the sound for the Millennium Falcon in The Empire Strikes Back—a tooth polisher is responsible for its iconic sound! So next time you are in the office for a cleaning, listen closely to see if you can hear the sound of the Millennium Falcon. Who knows, maybe you’ll even hear Chewbacca and Han Solo arguing.
Whether you’re a jedi, stormtrooper, or wookie, it’s important that you come in for regular cleanings and checkups. Call us today to schedule your appointment!