X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Braces for teeth: Singapore dentist pulls out boy's teeth unnecessarily, father lodges complaint

4 min read

Even after a year of orthodontic treatment, when there were no noticeable changes in Ethan’s teeth, his father, Mr. Tim Leo, grew worried.

According to The Straits Times, this is what had happened:

  • Last year, Mr. Leo took Ethan, 13, to WH Dental Surgeons in Hougang to fix his crooked teeth. He expected the treatment to last for 1-2 years.
  • He noticed that even after a year, there wasn’t much of a difference in Ethan’s teeth, even though, by that time, the dentist had already extracted 8 teeth to make space in his “overcrowded” mouth.
  • Apparently, each time, the clinic would give Ethan “lots of painkillers” as the braces hurt, and caused ulcers in his mouth. The studs on the braces would also fall out.
  • His mother was never allowed into the room when the procedure was being done. Ethan told his mum that the braces were fixed by 2 young men, and the dentist (Dr Sng Wee Hock) would merely have a look.
  • However, upon Mr Leo’s enquiry at the clinic, he was told that all treatment was done by Dr Sng himself, and no one else.
  • The cost of extracting the wisdom teeth was $4,150 (charged to Medisave). Extracting the 4 premolar teeth cost less than $400.

Mr. Leo tells the Straits Times, “I trusted Dr Sng when he said there was overcrowding and that the wisdom teeth had to be pulled out.”

Finally, when things didn’t seem to be working out, a worried Mr. Leo took Ethan to an orthodontist who specialises in braces, for a second opinion.

He was shocked when this orthodontist informed him that there was actually no need for the boy to have his four wisdom teeth removed. Usually dentists try to preserve teeth wherever possible.

In her opinion, the wiring for the braces was wrong, and that was why Ethan had ulcers in his mouth.

Father lodges official complaint

In March this year, Mr Leo lodged an official complaint with the Singapore Dental Council against Dr Sng, for unnecessarily pulling out 4 wisdom teeth, and for getting possibly untrained people to fix Ethan’s braces.

He had apparently come across another report earlier this year, about Dr Sng being suspended by the Singapore Dental Council for letting unqualified clinic assistants do the orthodontic work.

This is also not Dr Sng’s first brush with the law. Previously, there have been 3 complaints against him, for making claims against Medisave for costly procedures he hadn’t done.

He has also been suspended and fined for various offences.

Mr Leo also revealed that he had been offered an out of court settlement by Dr. Sng’s lawyer, but had declined it, because he did not want other children to go through the same ordeal as his son.

Dr Seah Tian Ee, president of the Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, told The Straits Times: “At 13 years old, the wisdom teeth are still at an early development phase and the facial skeleton has not reached maturity.”

“It is not routine practice to remove wisdom teeth at 13 years old unless they are associated with pathology such as cysts or tumours.”

Also, the upper wisdom teeth in such a young boy are usually “closer to the maxillary sinuses” making them more technically difficult to remove with a high risk of perforation. However, in rare cases, wisdom teeth in children may have to be removed for orthodontic reasons.

Other dentists have also opined that, while removing the four premolars was justified to create the space needed, the wisdom teeth removal was not necessary for brace treatment.

Partner Stories
How to Raise a Super Smart Baby? Check Out These 12 Tips!
How to Raise a Super Smart Baby? Check Out These 12 Tips!
4 Good Toilet Hygiene Habits for Kids to Have Early in Life
4 Good Toilet Hygiene Habits for Kids to Have Early in Life
Flu in Singapore: Is Your Family Protected?
Flu in Singapore: Is Your Family Protected?
6 Top Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash
6 Top Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash

Also READ: How to look after your baby’s first teeth

(Source: The Straits Times, Image: Screengrab The Straits Times)

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Jaya

  • Home
  • /
  • General
  • /
  • Braces for teeth: Singapore dentist pulls out boy's teeth unnecessarily, father lodges complaint
Share:
  • Is It Necessary To Get My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

    Is It Necessary To Get My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

  • Teeth Eruption Order And Timeline: Baby Teeth And Permanent Teeth

    Teeth Eruption Order And Timeline: Baby Teeth And Permanent Teeth

  • Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

    Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

  • ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

    ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

  • Is It Necessary To Get My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

    Is It Necessary To Get My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

  • Teeth Eruption Order And Timeline: Baby Teeth And Permanent Teeth

    Teeth Eruption Order And Timeline: Baby Teeth And Permanent Teeth

  • Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

    Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

  • ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

    ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates on baby care and health.