Dental Implants in Korea — The Complete Guide for International Patients: Diagnosis, Schedule & Aftercare at Home

What is a dental implant — an artificial tooth made of three parts

An implant replaces the root of a missing tooth with an artificial root placed in the jawbone, and a restoration is attached on top. Unlike a bridge, it does not require grinding down the neighboring teeth.

Structure of an implant

Who it suits / when to be careful

• If you hesitate to have healthy neighboring teeth ground down for a bridge
• If dentures are uncomfortable or keep slipping, making it hard to eat
• If you want fixed teeth to replace several or all of your teeth

Diagnosis — a CT scan to check bone volume and nerve position

Implant planning starts with a 3D dental CT (CBCT). It shows the height, width and density of the jawbone and the distance to the lower-jaw nerve canal and the upper-jaw sinus (the empty space beside the nose), so the doctor can decide the position, angle and length of each implant.

• If you have a panoramic X-ray or CT taken at home, please send it in advance. We will give you a rough plan first, and the final plan is confirmed after an exam in Korea.
• If you have a general health condition, prepare your recent blood test results and a list of your medications.

If you don't have enough jawbone — bone grafts and sinus lifts

If a tooth has been missing for a long time or you had severe gum disease, the bone has often shrunk. In that case, bone is added before or during implant placement.

Treatment types — standard placement, immediate placement and full-mouth implants

Even with immediate placement or a same-day temporary tooth, the bonding period is still needed, so the number of visits does not necessarily go down. The doctor decides whether it is possible based on the CT and the stability achieved during surgery.

A realistic schedule — usually at least 2 visits

An implant needs time to bond firmly with the bone (osseointegration) after placement. In general this takes about 2–3 months in the lower jaw and 3–6 months in the upper jaw, and longer if a bone graft was done. That is why international patients usually make 2 visits: place the implant and fly home, then return for the final teeth.

1. 1
   1st visit, Day 1 — Exam, CT and consultation. Your manager interprets while you confirm the plan, the products to be used and the timing of your 2nd visit.
2. 2
   1st visit, Days 1–3 — Any needed extraction, bone graft and implant placement. Depending on your condition, this may be done on the same day.
3. 3
   1st visit, Days 7–10 — Check-up and stitch removal, then fly home. If your stay is short, ask about having the stitches removed back home.
4. 4
   2–6 months after returning home — Bonding period. You can go about daily life as usual, and we follow your progress through photos.
5. 5
   2nd visit, Day 1 — Check that the bone has bonded, a second gum procedure if needed, abutment connection and impression (digital scan).
6. 6
   2nd visit, Days 3–7 — Final crown fitting and bite adjustment. You fly home with your product information card and treatment records.

Surgery day and recovery

• Surgery day
  Done under local anesthesia. Bite on gauze for 1–2 hours, and once the anesthesia wears off, take the prescribed painkiller and apply a cold pack to the outside of your cheek.
• Days 1–3
  Swelling is at its worst (bruising possible with a bone graft). Eat lukewarm, soft food (porridge, tofu, steamed egg) on the opposite side.
• Days 4–7
  Swelling starts to go down. Light activities such as city sightseeing are fine.
• Days 7–10
  Stitches are removed. You can eat normal meals but should not chew hard on the surgical site.
• Months 2–6
  The implant and bone are bonding. It is bonding even if nothing seems to change on the outside.

Eating and daily life

• For the first 2–3 days, avoid spicy or hot food, straws and spitting hard
• No alcohol for at least 1 week, and keep off cigarettes as long as you can
• Avoid saunas, jjimjilbang and strenuous exercise for about 1 week
• Brush gently, as your clinic instructs

Flying and travel precautions

• After a standard placement you can usually fly after 1–2 days, but staying until your check-up is safer
• After a sinus lift or a large bone graft, put off flying until the doctor says it is okay, because of air pressure changes
• Drink water often in the cabin, and keep your prescribed medicine (painkillers, antibiotics) in your carry-on bag
• Flights from China, Japan and Mongolia are short, so two visits are relatively easy. Book your 2nd visit date during the 1st visit
• If you need a visa, prepare for two entries

Genuine product and product information — what to take home for aftercare

Implants come from many manufacturers in many models. Rather than any one product being definitely better, what matters is knowing exactly which product you received and keeping the records.

• At the consultation, ask which manufacturer and product name (model) will be used, and write it down
• After surgery, ask for the product label (sticker) showing the manufacturer, model, diameter, length and lot number, or a copy or photo of it
• Check whether there is an implant card or warranty document issued by the manufacturer
• Get your CT, panoramic images, surgical record and final restoration details (material, screw-retained or cement-retained) as files

Aftercare back home and when problems arise

• Clean carefully around the implant every day with interdental brushes and floss — preventing peri-implantitis is the key to keeping it long term
• Have regular check-ups and cleanings every 3–6 months, and show your dentist back home your records from Korea
• Do not bite hard on ice, shellfish shells or bones with your implant

Contact us right away if

• Swelling or pain keeps getting worse several days after surgery, or you develop a fever
• Bleeding does not stop
• The implant or temporary tooth feels loose
• Your gum swells, bleeds or oozes pus, or a screw feels loose (even after you return home)

If a problem comes up after you return home, send photos and your symptoms to your manager. We will get the Korean clinic's opinion and decide together whether to have it handled by your local dentist or to return for a visit.

10 questions to ask at your consultation

When you come from abroad, your consultation opportunities are limited. Take notes of the questions below, and your manager will organize them in advance and interpret for you.

1. How many implants do I need, and do I need extractions, a bone graft or a sinus lift?
2. Which manufacturer and model of implant will you use, and why?
3. Will the dentist who consulted with me perform the surgery personally?
4. Are immediate placement or a temporary tooth possible in my case?
5. How many times do I need to come to Korea, and for how many days each time? When would the 2nd visit be?
6. Can I have the stitches removed and my progress checked back home?
7. What material is the final crown, and is it screw-retained or cement-retained?
8. How soon after surgery can I fly?
9. Can I get the product label, implant card, CT and treatment records?
10. If a problem comes up after I go home, how do I contact you, and what are your criteria for redoing treatment?

How to choose a dental clinic

• Does the dentist show you the CT and explain your bone condition and the plan?
• Does the clinic tell you the implant manufacturer and model in advance and provide the product label and records?
• Does the dentist who consulted with you perform the surgery, and have they experience with bone grafts and sinus lifts?
• Does the clinic plan a realistic 2-visit schedule rather than pushing to finish everything in one go?
• Does the clinic offer foreign-language support and follow your progress through photos and records after you go home?

KBEAU connects you with partner dental clinics in Myeongdong, central Seoul. If you send a panoramic X-ray or CT from home, or photos of your mouth, we will tell you in advance the scope of treatment and the number of visits you need, and a dedicated manager accompanies and interprets for both your 1st and 2nd visits. We can also help you book accommodation near the clinic and an airport pickup car.