Braces fix a host of orthodontic ailments and people wear them for aesthetic reasons.

The teeth correcting process takes a couple of years and it is costly, anywhere between S$2,000 to S$3,000, with the procedure carried out by highly qualified professionals.

"Real braces" for S$300

As the popularity of braces has grown in Singapore, someone claiming to be a "therapist" has started selling services on Carousell to help install braces -- for S$300.

For a costly procedure, S$300 offer is a real steal. The therapist will even show up at your location, fully-equipped to fix your teeth on the spot.

But don't just go stomping into your nearest dental clinic to complain just yet.

There's a pretty good reason why you shouldn't be patronising these Carousellers, or anyone else who claims to provide the same service for a fraction of the price.

Issues

Dr Gerald Tan, immediate past president of the Aesthetic Dentistry Society of Singapore and founder of Elite Dental Group, wrote an article on DoctorxDentist, an independent doctor portal, addressing the issue of customers patronising a Carousell "dentist", who went by the handle "aiza_88".

Even if the Carousellers who claim to be therapists have 100 percent positive reviews, and the people who receive treatment have reviewed it to pose no problem to them, it's not always 100 percent safe.

This is because these therapists are:

1) Not professionally trained or certified as dentists. They may not administer treatment that is wholly appropriate to your condition.

2) They don't have access to things like x-rays and proper medical equipment to carry out the procedure

3)If you have an infection or bleeding, they would not have the resources or knowledge to treat that as well.

4) Not to mention, you also may be exposed to HIV and Hepatitis B infections due to improperly sterilised equipment, along with other complications such as

- misaligned teeth

-  injury to teeth, jaw bone and nerves, toothaches

- pus and swelling due to infection

- chemical burns

And the S$300 price tag might not be the full price. Each individual session can be separately priced and the total can still add up to few thousand dollars.

Illegal

If that doesn't convince you otherwise, it's also illegal as it isn't a service provided from a registered dental clinic, or belonging to the four groups of dental professionals who are allowed to administer dental treatment to the public.

The Carousell account under aiza_88 has since been removed or changed.

Currently, only one user can be found publicly listing braces installation services on Carousell, though it is not certain whether it is the same person behind aiza_88.

In any case, don't scrimp on this and think that getting dental services from unlicensed Carousell "dentist" is the better way out, just because it's cheaper.

Ultimately, it would be more logical to pay more for a certified clinic to administer the installation of braces, so you won't end up having to seek emergency treatment, and cough up even more money to fix a bad decision.

Or die for it.

You can read the full article here.

H/T: DoctorxDentist

Top image adapted via Carousell

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