If you’re looking for a place that does full-arch implants well

Lee Jang-wook, Chief Director

Hello.

A place that does its best

for a healthy smile

This is Etoile de Seoul Dental Clinic.

 

"Please listen to this story"

Are you currently feeling uncomfortable because dentures are bothering you, or having trouble chewing properly? Are you afraid to go out to eat with your family, or reluctant to show your smiling face? Today, I’d like to share the story of someone who had exactly those worries. It’s the journey of a person I recently met, and it’s a story I especially want to share with those looking for a place that does full-arch implants well. I believe it will surely bring hope and comfort to those of you reading this. Then shall we step into that person’s story together?

     

We take responsibility for your dental health.

A tear shed for the first time in 15 years: one person’s honest confession

 

At the beginning of March, someone opened the door and came into the treatment room. It was Ms. Kim Myeong-hui, in her mid-60s. During our first meeting, she shed tears and said:



"Doctor, I’m afraid to face my grandchildren now. I don’t want them to see me eating, so when they come over, I pretend not to eat on purpose. The dentures keep moving, and I’m worried food will get stuck and smell... When my 7-year-old granddaughter asked, ‘Grandma, why don’t you smile much?’ it really broke my heart."



She had been using dentures for over 15 years. At first they were fine, but as time passed, the jawbone was gradually resorbed and the dentures kept becoming loose. She said her mouth hurt when she woke up in the morning, and at every meal the dentures would move so she couldn’t chew properly. She told us that even when she looked at the braised ribs her daughter made for her, she couldn’t eat them and would just sip the broth, which often made her cry.



Her husband was very worried as he watched his wife become quieter and more reluctant to go out. Even when he said, “Let’s go out and eat something,” she often refused, saying, “I’m fine. It’s more comfortable to eat at home.” In truth, she was afraid the dentures would move at a restaurant or that she would drop food.

 

Finding a possibility even with insufficient jawbone

After we took a CT scan and performed a 3D diagnosis, it turned out that she had a significant lack of jawbone. In a typical case, bone grafting would have been recommended. But by using 3D navigation technology to analyze the location of the remaining bone, we developed a plan that could allow a full-arch prosthesis with just 4 implants placed at a special angle.



"Doctor, will I really be able to chew food again?" I still remember her trembling voice. I replied, "Yes, let’s work together and do our best to achieve a good result."



On the day of surgery, her family came together. Her husband, daughter, and son-in-law. I can’t imagine how anxiously they waited outside the operating room. After about two and a half hours, when we fitted the temporary prosthesis, she smiled brightly for the first time. She said, "Is this really in my mouth? It doesn’t move uncomfortably!!"

 

Being able to sleep soundly at night, being able to eat toast

On the third day after surgery, she sent a text message. "Doctor, I slept soundly for the first time last night. I didn’t wake up at dawn because my mouth hurt from the dentures." These small changes are truly precious.



At her checkup a week later, her expression was much brighter. "Doctor, I ate toast! I had no idea it would be this happy to be able to eat even the crispy edges of the bread. My husband cried with me while watching me eat so happily."



Two weeks later, she shared an even more amazing story. "My grandchildren came over, and we ate chicken together! My 7-year-old granddaughter said, ‘Grandma, why are you smiling so much today? Your smile is so pretty.’ Hearing that made me tear up, and I went to the bathroom and cried for a long time."



My smile, met again in the mirror

On the day the prosthesis was fitted, her family came again. They were astonished to see the gum line delicately recreated with pink porcelain and the natural-looking teeth made of zirconia.



"Is this my gums? Are these my teeth? I looked in the mirror and couldn’t recognize my own face. It’s the first smile I’ve seen in 15 years." I still remember her words as she looked into the mirror.



Her husband held my hand tightly and said, "Doctor, thank you so much. I don’t know how long it’s been since I last saw my wife smile like this. These days, she’s the first one to suggest we go for a morning walk together. She talks with other seniors at the park, and it feels like the old Myeong-hui has come back."



Her daughter also said, her eyes reddening, "These days, Mom calls her friends first to set up lunch dates, and she says she wants to go back to the church choir. Thinking about how hard it must have been for her all that time makes me feel even more sorry and ashamed."

 

The courage of a person in their 70s who did not give up despite diabetes and high blood pressure

Around the same time, I also met a man in his early 70s. He had diabetes and high blood pressure, so he had been told elsewhere that implants would be difficult. But after confirming that his blood sugar was well controlled, we were able to establish a treatment plan suited to him for full-arch implants through a precise diagnosis using CT imaging.



After surgery, he said happily, "I think I’ll be able to smile confidently at my son’s wedding now." In fact, a month later he showed us wedding photos and said, "Thanks to you, I was able to take photos with a happy expression. I could also smile confidently while greeting the families of the bride and groom."



A journey not to find teeth, but to find everyday life

From experiences like these, I came to realize something. People looking for a place that does full-arch implants well do not simply want teeth. They want everyday life—being able to laugh with family, share delicious food, talk comfortably with friends, and smile confidently.



Even when jawbone is insufficient, with a method that uses 3D navigation and digital technology, it is possible to restore full dental function with 4 to 6 implants depending on each person’s oral condition. A temporary prosthesis is fitted on the day of surgery, and the timing of return to daily life may vary depending on each person’s recovery. Depending on individual circumstances, the prosthesis may typically take about 4 to 6 weeks. Improved chewing function closer to that of natural teeth can be expected.



Even if you have diabetes or high blood pressure, if the condition is well controlled, suitability can be reviewed through a consultation with the medical staff in charge. Even if you are older, that is okay. In fact, this method is suitable for people who find it difficult to visit many times.

 



Ms. Kim Myeong-hui’s happy recent updates as she shows photos of her grandchildren

These days, whenever Ms. Kim Myeong-hui comes in for her monthly checkup, she shows us photos of her grandchildren. "Doctor, this weekend I went to a ribs restaurant with my grandchildren. My granddaughter kept saying, ‘Grandma, try this too, try that too,’ and you can’t imagine how happy that made me. It’s happiness I haven’t felt in 15 years."



When considering recovery of dental function, you may also think about not only restoring function itself but also improving quality of daily life. The day may come when you can eat chicken with your grandchildren, travel with friends, and laugh with your loved ones. There is a possibility of positive change for you as well. Don’t give up hope. We support your bright smile.

 

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