Health Commission probes man's death after 23 teeth removed in one day

A man who had 23 teeth extracted and 12 implants placed during a single procedure has died, prompting an investigation by the Health Commission in Yongkang City, Zhejiang Province, Jimu News reported on Tuesday.

The man, identified as Huang, underwent the procedure at DeWay Dental Clinic on August 14 and died of a heart attack 13 days later.

His consent form indicated the surgery involved removing 23 teeth and immediately implanting 12 new ones, a method known as "immediate restoration." The surgery was performed by a doctor surnamed Yuan.

Following the procedure, Huang reportedly experienced severe tooth pain. Thirteen days later he died of sudden cardiac arrest.

In a September 3 interview, hospital employees told Jimu News that the number of teeth removed in one session depends on the patient's health and is determined by the consulting doctor.

"Front teeth can usually be extracted and implanted on the same day, but molars typically require a three-to-four-month waiting period between extraction and implantation," a staff member said.

However, Huang's consent form shows that several molars were extracted and implanted on the same day, which breaks the hospital's usual procedure for tooth removals.

The Health Commission said: "Since there was a 13-day gap between the procedure and Huang's death, we are still investigating the cause."

Public records show that Yuan, who performed the surgery, has five years of experience specializing in root canals, impacted wisdom tooth removal, and full dentures. As of the latest report, he is still practicing at the clinic.

The commission also confirmed that the clinic is a private, for-profit institution specializing in dental implants and endodontics.

Xiang Guolin, head of the Dental Center at Wuhan Fourth Hospital, noted that while adults typically have 28-32 teeth, removing 23 during one procedure is unusually high, adding the norm is 10 to 12.