Advertisement

See Shane MacGowan’s new teeth!

He underwent the "Everest of dentistry"

Trending Now

Shane MacGowan has shown off his new smile after undergoing what his dental surgeon described as “the Everest of dentistry”.

MacGowan lost his last natural tooth in 2008.

However, he decided to get a new set of dentures; the work was documented by Sky Arts for a programme titled Shane MacGowan: A Wreck Reborn which aired last night (December 20).

Advertisement

Darragh Mulrooney, the Irish dental surgeon who operated on MacGowan, described the job as being among his most challenging. Extending his Everest metaphor, he told The Independent: “There was a whole team required to get to the summit.”

MacGowan had 28 dentures fitted alongside one gold tooth in a procedure which took nine hours. The work has already begun to affect the musician’s diet, as his surgeon explains, and should also improve his singing ability: “There was a moving moment when someone gave Shane an apple to eat … something he hadn’t done in 20 years.”

Advertisement

“Shane recorded most of his great works when he had some teeth to work with,” Mulrooney added. “The question on everyone’s lips is how it will affect his voice. The tongue is a finely attuned muscle and it makes precise movements. We’ve effectively retuned his instrument and that will be an ongoing process.”

The January 2016 issue of Uncut is now on sale in the UK – featuring Paul Weller, David Bowie, Best Of 2015, Roger Waters, Father John Misty, Pere Ubu, Robert Forster, Natalie Prass, James Brown, Bruce Springsteen, Sunn O))), Jonny Greenwood, Arthur Lee & Love, Neil Young, Janis Joplin and more.

Uncut: the spiritual home of great rock music.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Latest Issue

Advertisement

Features

Advertisement