Chinese Man Shocked After 12 Teeth Extracted for Single Toothache
A 63-year-old Chinese man had all 12 remaining teeth extracted and 10 implants placed in a single session after visiting a clinic for one toothache, prompting health authorities to shut down the facility for violating professional standards
A 63-year-old Chinese man faced a shocking ordeal after visiting a dental clinic for a single toothache, only to have all 12 remaining teeth extracted and 10 dental implants installed in a single treatment session. Chinese health authorities subsequently penalized the clinic, ordering it to refund treatment costs and cease operations for improvements after discovering multiple violations of professional standards.
The patient, surnamed Li, from Baoji city in Shaanxi Province, decided to seek treatment at the clinic in September after being swayed by advertisements promising "dental implants in the morning, eating meat by afternoon" and "complete teeth for a lifespan over 100 years." The clinic also offered free transportation and complimentary oral health examinations, gaining his trust.
However, the outcome proved devastating. Li had all 12 remaining teeth extracted and 10 dental implants placed during a single treatment, with the clinic charging approximately 18,800 yuan (about 88,000 baht) from his bank account and digital wallet, with an additional 6,200 yuan (roughly 30,500 baht) still outstanding. When his son found him afterward, Li's mouth was bleeding and he had only 30 yuan (approximately 150 baht) remaining for transportation home.
The situation was further complicated by Li's multiple chronic conditions, including coronary heart disease, a history of heart muscle death, diabetes, high blood pressure, and four cardiac stents—conditions requiring careful evaluation before dental extraction or implant procedures. In some cases, such procedures should not be performed immediately.
Dr. Fu Dongjie, an oral surgery specialist from Renmin Hospital at Wuhan University, noted that diabetic patients should have their blood sugar levels controlled within acceptable ranges before undergoing dental implant placement. Additionally, extracting and implanting multiple teeth simultaneously carries significant risk. A previous 2024 case documented a Chinese man who died within 13 days after having 23 teeth extracted and 12 implants placed in a single treatment.
After Li's family filed complaints with local health authorities three times, inspectors discovered the clinic's medical records were incomplete, with missing documents sometimes miraculously appearing later—raising suspicions of document tampering. The records even listed Li's gender as female despite him being male, and a required cardiology consultation report was only provided six months after the procedure.
Li's son questioned whether a proper cardiology consultation had actually been conducted and why the family was never informed. He viewed the clinic's actions as unacceptable for a patient with multiple chronic conditions.
Following the investigation, local health authorities determined the clinic violated multiple professional standards, including inadequate pre-operative assessments and failure to follow proper protocols for high-risk patients.
