Returning to Daily Life After Implant Treatment in Cheongdam-dong

Chief Director Lee Jang-wook

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"The taste of pork belly, eaten again after 20 years"

Have you given up on the foods you used to love because of dentures? Are you afraid of gathering with friends, or do you feel burdened eating in front of your grandchildren? I am Kim Seong-ho, 65 years old this year. I have lived with dentures for the past 18 years, accepting the discomfort as something normal.

But in May, there was someone whose life changed completely after receiving implant treatment in Cheongdam-dong. Today, I want to share this person’s story with those who are 고민ating.

We take responsibility for your dental health.

18 years of discomfort at the golf course and company dinners

The visitor began losing teeth one by one starting in his mid-40s. At the time, dentures were the most realistic option. The first few years were fine. But as time passed, the jawbone was resorbed and the dentures became loose again and again.

The hardest part was spending time with other people. He has been attending a golf group for more than 30 years, and the meal after each round was always a concern. When someone said, "Seong-ho, have some more meat," saying "Oh, I’m full" became part of everyday life. In truth, he simply could not chew it.

The same was true at dinner gatherings with younger coworkers. When he went to a pork belly restaurant, he would eat rice mixed into soybean paste stew broth. At drinking gatherings, since he could not properly eat the side dishes, he would only drink alcohol, and the next day his stomach felt even worse. After retiring at 62, he thought, "Now I can live comfortably," but being at home all the time made the denture problem feel even bigger.

He said he felt pathetic seeing himself unable to touch the braised short ribs his wife had carefully made, only pouring broth over rice to eat. He said his heart hurt every time his grandson said, "Grandpa, this is tasty too. Let’s eat together."

Meeting hope through full-arch implants

Earlier this year, at a university alumni gathering, a friend brought up implants, he said. "Seong-ho, I had implants done last year, and my life really changed. You should look into it too," the friend told him. In fact, he had been worrying about it for a few years, but a full-mouth implant treatment felt financially heavy, and above all, he was worried about having to visit the clinic many times.

The place his friend recommended was Etuale Seoul Dental Clinic. It was known as a Cheongdam-dong implant dental clinic, and he was told by a dentist from Seoul National University that treatment could be completed in a short period using a method called full-arch implants.

In mid-March, when he went for his first consultation, he honestly was not fully convinced. After Director Lee Jang-wook performed a CT scan and 3D diagnosis, he said, "Your jawbone is in a condition with significant bone deficiency. But if we use 3D navigation technology, we can restore the entire upper jaw with only four implants."

"Only four? Is that possible?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes. It is a technique that precisely analyzes the location of the remaining bone and places the implants accordingly. Depending on each person’s oral condition, about 4 to 6 implants can restore full dental function. And because a temporary prosthesis can be attached on the day of surgery, there is no day spent without teeth."

Hearing that, he felt somewhat relieved.

What he had worried about most was the period during which he would have to go around without teeth.

The remarkable change made by 3D technology

The director explained his oral structure on a computer screen in 3D. He later learned that there are not many places in the Cheongdam-dong implant field equipped with such a wide range of devices. "If the implant is placed at this position and angle, the procedure can be done safely. We perform a mock surgery using a 3D navigation system and then carry out the actual surgery the same way."

He was worried because he had diabetes, but he found courage when they said, "Your blood sugar is being well controlled, so the procedure is possible." He was also taking medication for high blood pressure, but they said it could be managed through coordination with his internal medicine doctor.

On the day of surgery, his wife and eldest daughter came with him. Before entering the operating room, he tried to calm his nerves, but because it was a minimally invasive approach, the process was more comfortable than expected. After about two and a half hours, they attached the temporary prosthesis.

The moment he looked in the mirror, tears came to his eyes. For the first time in 18 years, he saw teeth properly in his mouth. They were also firmly fixed without moving.

"Is this really my mouth?" he muttered while looking in the mirror.

His wife tightly held Seong-ho’s hand and said, "Honey, it looks really natural. It looks just like the old days."

Pork belly again after 20 years

On the second day after surgery, something amazing happened. He slept soundly through the night. For 18 years, it had been normal to wake up at dawn because his mouth hurt from the dentures, but that night he did not wake up even once until morning.

At the checkup a week later, when he told the director, "I ate toast," the director smiled and said, "That’s a good start. You can gradually increase the range of foods step by step."

Two weeks later, his grandson came to visit, and they ate pizza together. When his 8-year-old grandson said, "Grandpa, why are you eating so much today? You’re smiling a lot too," he said he was so happy.

A month later, he received the final prosthesis. The gums made with pink porcelain and the zirconia teeth looked so natural that he was amazed. Every time he looked in the mirror, it felt strange. He said they were so natural that he wondered, "Are these really my teeth?"

And finally, after 20 years, he went to a pork belly restaurant. He was with friends from his golf group, and everyone was surprised to see him eating meat.

"Seong-ho, when did you get implants? You really eat well!"

"Yeah, two months ago. I should have done it sooner."

He said he will probably never forget the taste of the pork belly he ate that day. He said he realized once again how happy it is to be able to chew meat.

Regained confidence at the golf course

These days, he says he goes golfing twice a week. Meal times after a round are now enjoyable. He can eat pork cutlet, steak, and anything else. At dinners with younger coworkers, he confidently eats pork belly, chicken feet, and pig’s trotters.

These are things he could not have imagined before receiving implant treatment in Cheongdam-dong. Seeing Seong-ho enjoying the food his wife makes, she has also recently found joy in cooking again. She said, "Since you eat so well, I feel rewarded when I make food for you."

What he is most grateful for is the peace of mind he feels at each regular checkup.

Etuale Seoul Dental Clinic provides three years of free treatment, and checkups every six months, and each time they examine everything carefully.

They also explain maintenance methods in detail so that patients can manage them like natural teeth.

A message for those who are still hesitating

Seong-ho lived with dentures for 18 years. He said he felt that he had given up so many things during that time. The foods he liked, time with friends, memories with his grandchildren, and even confidence.

After receiving implant treatment in Cheongdam-dong, he realized that he had not just restored his teeth — he had regained his daily life. A daily life where he could laugh with family, eat comfortably with friends, and eat proudly in front of his grandchildren.

Do not give up because there is not enough jawbone. Using 3D navigation technology and digitally assisted methods, it is possible to look for solutions according to each person’s oral condition. Even if you have diabetes or high blood pressure, if the condition is well controlled, suitability can be reviewed through consultation with the medical team in charge.

Because a temporary prosthesis is attached on the day of surgery, there is no period spent without teeth. Depending on each person’s recovery condition, the final prosthesis can usually be attached in about 4 to 6 weeks. Chewing function can also improve to be close to that of natural teeth.

Advanced age is not a problem. In fact, this method is suitable for people who have difficulty visiting multiple times. Seong-ho also worried at first because of his age, but now he says he regrets not doing it sooner.

Next week is his grandson’s birthday party. He is looking forward to eating plenty of his grandson’s favorite chicken and pizza. And he said he will show his grandchildren a smiling grandpa.

We sincerely hope that you, too, can regain your daily life like Seong-ho.

Do not hesitate. A happy daily life with a bright smile is waiting for you.

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