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With the growth of the orthodontic market, problems have gradually emerged.
There are a lot of advertisements, and the content creates anxiety about appearance, and induces consumers with free and low-cost gimmicks, and some are even disguised online loans.
To regulate the orthodontic market, it is necessary to strengthen the self-discipline and supervision of the industry, and consumers should also realize that orthodontic treatment is a medical behavior, not a cosmetic behavior, and should be treated with caution.
Free trial of invisible braces, 7-day public welfare subsidy for quick dental treatment... In July, there have been more advertisements for dental implants, and there are also more and more "young people with braces" like Zhang Xiaotang.
The summer vacation is at the peak of orthodontic treatment. In the "orthodontic" army, many people come for the pursuit of beauty.
Just after 8 o'clock in the morning, there were more than 20 people in the waiting area of a dental hospital in Shenyang.
The crowd is mostly middle school students, and some are still studying with books.
18-year-old Zhang Xiaotang just finished the college entrance examination this year and is about to enter the university to study broadcasting and hosting.
Because she has been brooding about her eversioned tiger teeth, with the consent of her parents, she chose to wear invisible braces during the summer to straighten her teeth.
According to the "2020 China Oral Medical Industry Report" released last year, from 2011 to 2019, the compound annual growth rate of China's oral medical service industry was about 16%, with orthodontics and dental implants being the largest and fastest growing.
However, when more and more young people straighten their teeth with the purpose of cosmetic surgery, what are the spoofs and traps worthy of attention in the explosive growth market?
Posting lead ads while creating appearance anxiety
Zhang Xiaotang told reporters that she often sees orthodontic advertisements when she browses the web, such as "Shenyang orthodontist must watch, summer specials are coming", "Head-changing orthodontics", "How old is the best orthodontic treatment, is there any help if I miss it?" "Wait, "The more I look at it, the more anxious I become, and the more I want to correct it as soon as possible."
In the interview, the reporter learned that due to the large number of potential demanders and the high price of orthodontic treatment, some businesses exaggerated the effect of orthodontics or created appearance anxiety, while playing the guise of "free trial" and "public welfare subsidies" to attract consumers.
But can orthodontic items costing tens of thousands of yuan really be sold cheaply? What's the point of trying them on?
The reporter tried to contact an orthodontic institution that claimed to “recruit 100 people with uneven teeth and try invisible braces for free”, but the other party told them that “invisible braces are not completely free. ." Another businessman who claimed to have "fast teeth straightening in 7 days" told reporters that non-profit organizations bear most of the correction costs, and consumers only need to pay a small part.
The reporter further asked how much the consumer needs to pay, and the other party said, "3,000 yuan to 6,000 yuan".
Wang Jirong, chief physician of the Department of Orthodontics of a specialized tertiary hospital in Shenyang, pointed out in an interview with a reporter from "Worker Daily" that for people who need orthodontics, it is almost meaningless to try invisible braces, and the design of braces needs to be tailored to different orthodontic needs. , is not universal.
"In addition, the general cost of orthodontics is 6,000 to 30,000 yuan, and businesses use public welfare subsidies as publicity, which is not very credible." Wang Jirong said that dental beauty is not a guaranteed project, and few public welfare organizations provide assistance.
He also said that the installment payment is aimed at young students who have no income, and the essence is to induce consumption, and some advertisements are actually online loans in disguise.
Improper straightening can lead to irreversible damage such as tooth loosening
After early tooth extraction, model making, and determination of the plan, Zhang Xiaotang got the invisible braces.
According to her correction plan, 50 sets of braces need to be replaced for nearly a year and the price is 20,000 yuan.
Zhao Minghan, the operator of a small dental clinic in Yuhong District, Shenyang City, told reporters that the orthodontic cycle is long, and the dentist needs to check, diagnose, measure data, issue a plan, treat, and review regularly. Therefore, it is not realistic to quickly straighten teeth in 7 days. " It takes as little as a few months, as much as more than a year.”
Zhao Minghan said that from the price point of view, the current braces on the market are divided into steel braces and invisible braces. The price of steel braces is between 10,000 and 30,000 yuan, and the price of invisible braces is 20,000 to 30,000 yuan for domestic brands and 40,000 yuan for imported brands. ~50,000 yuan, almost half of these costs go to material suppliers, and half are used to hire professional physicians.
"Some businesses claim to have low-cost dental implants in order to attract customers first, and then increase prices through various invisible consumption." Zhao Minghan said, in addition, the qualifications of practitioners are also a concern in the industry.
It is understood that oral medicine is a rigorous and meticulous medical practice. Practitioners must undergo no less than 5 years of systematic and formal professional education in oral medicine, and have completed a year of internship in medical, preventive and health care institutions, and obtain a licensed doctor. Only after obtaining a qualification certificate and registering in a qualified dental medical institution, can they independently engage in the corresponding type of dental medical work at the registered place.
"However, some medical and aesthetic institutions employ personnel with insufficient qualifications or qualifications, so they disrupt the market at low prices." Zhao Minghan told reporters.
"It is normal for consumers to have demand for improved medical care such as oral cavity, but under the guidance of commercial advertisements, the current orthodontic market has excessive medical treatment." Wang Jirong said that premature correction of children will affect the development of deciduous teeth and the replacement of permanent teeth. It can lead to irreversible damage such as tooth loosening, tooth nerve necrosis, and bone fenestration.
Orthodontics is a medical act, not a cosmetic act
In response to the current chaos in the orthodontic industry, Wang Jirong said that in the long run, we should guide and train more orthodontists, and at the same time increase investment in scientific research to develop more high-quality and affordable "bracelets" made in China. Reduce the cost of materials in the industry, so that people who really need it can afford it.
On the other hand, industry self-discipline and market supervision should be strengthened.
On August 1 last year, the Chinese Stomatological Association issued a statement on resolutely resisting the chaos of oral medical cosmetology, stating that an organization related to oral medical cosmetology was established to strengthen industry supervision over the potential factors causing the chaos in oral medical beauty.
In March of this year, the National Health and Medical Commission issued the "Notice on Carrying out the Special Inspection Action of Private Hospitals in the Country in 2022", requiring that starting from March 2022, a one-year special inspection action of private hospitals across the country should be organized to guide hospitals to run medical services in a correct manner. Concepts, standard practice behavior, and severely crack down on violations of laws and regulations that disregard and damage people's health rights and interests.
Zhao Minghan believes that the regulatory authorities should urge medical and aesthetic institutions to standardize their operations, prohibit illegal operations, and take severe measures to rectify businesses that falsely advertise and sell "orthodontic anxiety", while cracking down on false copywriting on social media.
In addition, it is also necessary to explore the formulation of orthodontic treatment standards and determine the age group suitable for orthodontic treatment. Unless special circumstances, premature orthodontic surgery is strictly prohibited.
Wang Jirong reminded that orthodontic treatment is a medical behavior, not a cosmetic behavior. Consumers should avoid buying braces online and should check and correct them in a regular dental hospital.
"Consumers, operators and regulators work together to give the orthodontic industry 'orthodontics'."
Our reporter Liu Xu