The Difference in Implant Placement Methods in Cheongdam-dong

Chief Director Lee Jang-wook

Hello.

We are Etoile de Seoul Dental Clinic,

a place that does its best

for a healthy smile.

Today, I’d like to share the story of someone I once met.

I hope it can be a small source of hope for those considering implants in Cheongdam-dong. I meet many people in the clinic every day, but some patients’ stories stay in my heart for a very long time. Today, I’d like to share one of them.

We take responsibility for your dental health.

A 10-Year Struggle, a Courageous Decision

Last fall, a woman in her late 60s came to see us. I still remember the expression on her face as she opened the door. How difficult it must have been for her. When I first met her, she covered her mouth with her hand and said in a small voice, “Doctor, I’ve been wearing dentures for more than 10 years. At first, I just thought they were uncomfortable, but now I’m scared to eat. Even when my children ask me to go out to eat, I make excuses and don’t go. I’m embarrassed for them to see me eating.” At that moment, I saw her eyes turn red.

As I listened further, I realized her daily life was much harder than I had imagined. She said her day began with putting in her dentures every morning, and that she felt conscious of them and uncomfortable all day long. Even when her grandchildren came to visit, she couldn’t laugh freely, and every time she ate, she had to chew cautiously. She also avoided gatherings with friends. “When I think about what people might think if they see my mouth, I just want to stay home,” she said.

Her husband was also very worried. He said his heart ached watching his wife become quieter, reluctant to go out, and tense whenever mealtimes came around. Her daughters were also concerned, saying it had become hard to see their mother smiling brightly as she once did. Even on family trips, she would feel burdened by eating in restaurants and want to stay in the room, and as a result, the family said the trips no longer felt enjoyable.

A Choice for a New Beginning

After enduring that for 10 years, she finally came to see me. I carefully examined her condition. Her jawbone had become significantly weakened from long-term denture use, but fortunately, she could be restored with a full-arch method. It was a method that restores the entire set of teeth by placing four supports at specific angles. While explaining this method to her, I said, “In some cases, temporary teeth can be attached on the day of the procedure, which can reduce the inconvenience of going without teeth.” I could feel her eyes change at that moment.

As the procedure began, she asked cautiously, “Will I really have teeth that same day? Won’t they come out?” Her face was full of concern. I held her hand and explained slowly. We plan in advance with 3D imaging, place them in the appropriate positions, and arrange them at certain angles to distribute the force. That is why, in some cases, fixation is possible on the day of the procedure.

Returning to Everyday Life

A month later, when she came back, I was deeply moved. Her face had completely changed. When she first came in, she had kept her head down and covered her mouth, but this time she walked in smiling brightly. “Doctor, yesterday my family and I went to a Korean barbecue restaurant. For the first time in 10 years, I really chewed and ate meat properly. My husband cried. He said it had been so long since he’d seen me eat so deliciously.” As she said this, her eyes welled up too.

I wanted to share this story with those considering implants in Cheongdam-dong. It’s not simply about placing teeth; it’s about helping someone reclaim the everyday life they had lost. She kept saying, “Now I can kiss my grandchildren whenever I want. We’ve decided to travel with my friends again. I can’t believe I can be this happy.”

Three months later, when she came in for a regular checkup, the change was even more remarkable. She had joined a new hiking club. “Before, I couldn’t even exercise because I was afraid my dentures might come out, but now I’m climbing mountains and have started swimming again,” she said with a bright smile. Her husband came with her and held my hand tightly to thank me. “My wife seems like she’s come back to life. The house is full of laughter again.”

Moments of Another Change

I also remember another patient. He was a man in his 50s who had to meet many people because of his job, but he lacked confidence because of his teeth, and work life had become difficult for him. He said he felt nervous every time there was a meeting, avoided lunch gatherings, and felt like he was falling behind in promotions. He also recovered with the same method, and when I met him three months later, he was like a completely different person. “Doctor, I got promoted this time. Now that I can smile and speak confidently, meetings don’t scare me anymore,” he said, truly happy.

Seeing these changes made me realize something. What people considering implants in Cheongdam-dong truly want is not just teeth. They long more deeply for the courage to smile freely, the joy of eating delicious food, and the confidence to be comfortable with others. That is the happiness of everyday life.

That is why I always think about how I can help people recover more comfortably, more efficiently, and more stably. Even patients with poor jawbone conditions may, in some cases, receive temporary teeth on the day of the procedure by placing implants at certain angles and positions without bone grafting. Instead of placing many one by one, the entire arch is supported with about four to six implants, so the procedure is relatively simpler and followed by a recovery period. Above all, the biggest comfort is that, in some cases, temporary teeth can be attached on the day of the procedure, reducing the inconvenience of having no teeth.

Regaining Family Happiness

Recently, there was another especially memorable patient. She was a woman in her early 70s, and her child came with her. The child said, with a worried expression, “My mother can’t eat properly and doesn’t smile. Even when the family gathers during the holidays, she stays in her room.” She also went through the recovery process, and when she returned after two weeks, her daughter was in tears. “Doctor, my mother bit into an apple for the first time in 30 years. The whole family cried when we saw that.”

These moments are truly precious to me. I feel that what I do is not simply placing teeth, but giving someone back their smile in life. To everyone considering implants in Cheongdam-dong, I want to say this: please do not endure it for too long. There are methods that can be applied to a variety of conditions.

If you are reading this and have similar concerns, are you perhaps uncomfortable because of dentures, missing teeth, or hesitant to meet people? Do you have to be careful every time you eat, or cover your mouth when you want to smile? If so, please gather your courage and take that first step. Like the people I’ve met, you too can reclaim a happy everyday life.

Do you know what the common point of the people I introduced today is?

It is that they all say, “I should have come earlier.” Many people endure for 10 or 20 years before coming in, but after recovering, they regret having suffered for so long. That is why I always say: now is the best time. Today is better than tomorrow, and this month is better than next month.

The woman I mentioned at the beginning now tells me a new story every month when she comes in for her regular checkup. Just last month, she went to meet hometown friends for the first time in 40 years. “Before, I was embarrassed to see my friends, so I didn’t even keep in touch, but now I’m the one who suggests meeting first,” she said, looking truly happy. Seeing that makes my heart warm too.

You too can return to a happy everyday life. You can smile freely, eat deliciously, and meet people with confidence. That is what I dream of every day, and what I most want to give you. Do not let go of hope. Please remember that a new beginning is possible through implants in Cheongdam-dong, and feel free to knock on our door anytime. We look forward to your happy smile.

Previous image Next image

▲[Etoile de Seoul Dental Clinic] We provide treatment in a warm and clean environment.

▼ Etoile de Seoul Dental Clinic YouTube ▼

Previous image Next image

Previous image Next image