I almost lost my life trying to get my own braces...There's a reason why dentistry is expensive
Jun 05, 2025
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According to Chinese media Phoenix Network and Hong Kong media South China Morning Post, a 24-year-old woman living in Fujian Province, China, almost suffocated while trying to make her own braces using gypsum purchased online.
She didn't have time to visit the dentist because of her busy work day, so she bought a braces production kit online. It was a method of making and sending braces to a company after opening a pattern of teeth.
The instruction manual stated that the tooth pattern should be opened using a putty that is easy to remove, poured gypsum, and hardened for about an hour.
However, instead of putty, she put gypsum directly in her mouth and tried to make a pattern, but the gypsum hardened and was unable to remove it on her own.
It became difficult not only to speak but also to breathe.
After putting a band-aid on his mouth, he visited the hospital, and the medical staff explained that "the stucco is hardened and the mouth is almost blocked" and that "all teeth are covered with gypsum, so there is a risk of damaging oral tissue.'
In the end, the medical staff carried out the removal by grinding the plaster little by little over an hour.
After the removal, the medical staff said that orthodontics and treatment must be helped by an expert at the hospital.
Currently, kits for making chia patterns are sold for about 30 yuan (about 6,000 won) in online shopping malls in China. The cost of making braces is separate.
Some consumers claimed that it costs 700 yuan (about 130,000 won) to manufacture braces at hospitals, but it costs only 200 yuan (about 40,000 won) to use online kits.
Netizens who heard about Woo's news said "There is a reason why hospitals charge more.", "She learned her lessons in a hard way", Posting comments such as "cases that cost more time and money".
The incident is once again an opportunity to emphasize the risk of medical kits sold online and the importance of dental treatment.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
