Confessions of a Gap-Toothed Beauty Editor

Suddenly I had to learn more. Diastema is the medical term for a gap, and while some might disagree, there's nothing technically wrong with having one. As is true of most cosmetic issues, I have my genes to thank. My mother has a gap; so did her mom. (I didn't grow up with my grandma, and my memories of her have faded, so this connection was sweet news.) As Peter Auster, D.M.D., a New York-based cosmetic dentist I rang up after seeing myself on TV, explained, my front teeth probably never came together because of an especially strong muscle on my upper gums. Bringing them together now would likely require that this muscle be thinned out via laser, he said, followed by braces or bonding. Sounds uncomfortable. And time consuming.

OK, so I can "improve" my smile. The bigger question: Is it worth the time and effort? I pressed Dr. Auster for his professional opinion. He shrugged and said that it's a matter of personal and sometimes, cultural, preference. "In Jamaica, where I volunteer, a gap is considered a badge of honor," he said. "But according to a poll we conducted, most people in the U.S. don't like their gaps."

I went home that night and thought about my imperfect smile. I thought back to the day I'd met Hutton, the goddess of the gap. ("That's good luck, you know," the supermodel squealed, then demanded that we take a photo together to commemorate the moment.) I also looked affectionately at my elementary school photos, and I considered that the space between my teeth made up the only motherly smile my kids had ever known. As for my husband, he didn't think the topic was even worth discussing. "It's who you are, sweetie," he said, adding that he likes Patricia with the Gap. Always has, always will.

My last call was to my famously vain mother. No, she said, don't bother with that "fixing" nonsense. She explained that in the Dominican Republic, where she was born, gaps "son de mujeres sexys." The no-nonsense way that she said it made me giggle, while surprising me with its underlying affection. Before hanging up, though, she insisted that I whiten my smile since I'll probably be on TV again. Easy enough. So in this case, we'll say that Mother knows best.

And I would hate to mess with personality."

Do you have a gap? Send us pic's of your smile and tell us why you love it @glamlatinamag!