The Dental Thread

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

It depends.

For a molar porcelein is about on average 500k in Korea.

The best gold crown with the highest amount of gold and smallest percentage of base metals is around 400k.  It's what I got and what dentists actually reccomend.  Prorcelin actually might look better but is more brittle and gold lasts longer and is more maleable.

You can also get a gold crown with lower percentage gold and higher percentage base metals for around 250k - 300k depending where you shop around, eg - high st vs small town near the apts.  There is nothing wrong with them, but some people get a bad reaction on their gums to too much base metals.  So I thought for the sake of an extra 100k - 150k I'd rather get the high gold crown as it should in theory last for up to ten years if I look after it, so good long term investment.  I had mine about 3 - 4 months ago and so far zero issues and I have not been treating it gently.  I figured, if its going to work, its going to work, I'm not going to stop eating peanuts and jerky etc and I do not compensate by doing most of my chewing on the other side and so far I have zero issues and it feels as strong as a natural alive tooth and there is no sensitivity.  Unless I eat choclate, then I get a wierd sensation but the dentist explained this is just a chemical reaction with the chemicals in chocolate and gold that happens. 

I'm very very happy with the job done in fact and modern medicine never ceases to amaze me and reinstil my faith in 'progress.'

[google jockey]

I tried to PM you about this, and got some kind of error saying you don't get private messages.  Did you ever get his info?  Is he moving his practice to Songdo or just opening another branch?  Got a day off tomorrow and hoping I can schedule something on short notice...

Are you British?

I know a great dentist who speaks great English.  He  has an office in Bupyoung, Incheon.  If you wait until April, he'll have a new clinic in Song-Do, Incheon. 

The thing about this guy is that he definitely numbs you and gives proper pain meds after major dental work.  He's more like an American dentist than a Korean dentist.  He's not rough, and he doesn't mind answering your questions.  In fact, he really loves to chit chat. 

PM me for his specific information and I'll e-mail him for the address and clinic phone number and get back to you.  I can't find his biz card. 

Good luck with the toofers

[#basedcowboyshirt]

I had a filling fall out, and went with my girlfriend to a dentist so that she could translate (good thing, too, because he spoke almost no English). They wanted to put a $500 crown on to fix a filling that fell out. He wouldn't simply fill it, because he said my teeth would 'still be sensitive and a filling will not fix the symptom.'

I've always had sensitive teeth, and was not even considering trying to fix them. The only symptom I had was a hole where I had a filling out. And he also wanted to put fillings in four other teeth which I know from dental history are just discoloured, not cavities. So, I said no to all of that, and decided just to get my teeth cleaned because how can you possibly mess that up other than being a little rough, right?

Wrong.

Using the ultrasonic scaler, a hygienist haphazardly scraped the easy-to-reach parts of my teeth for ten minutes, said it was finished, and told me to go. No scraping the tartar or calculus off around the gum line. No polish. No fluoride rinse.

And that cleaning cost 70,000 won.

When I went back to Canada for holidays, I got my teeth cleaned and my one tooth properly filled for $450 and that was a bargain compared to the extortionist prices the incompetent dentists here charge.

Also, my dentist and I had a good laugh at the state of dental care in Korea.

It's the dentist on the University of Victoria campus, and we have a lot of international Korean students there, and he says that when they come in, their dental hygiene is absolutely atrocious and that even though they all say they've seen dentists regularly in Korea, the idea of a dentist actually doing a proper cleaning is totally foreign to them.

tl;dr version:

Korean dentists are by and large awful and should be avoided.

[Ectofuego]

Yeah, I have probably had a lot of needless tooth work in korea.  But at least these crowns will last a lot longer than a filling will.  That aside, I need to get two wisdom teeth taken out from what the korean dentist said.  He only charged 60,000 won a tooth.  I can't imagine how much it would be back in the states.

[Freeto]

Hus Hu billed me 300,000 more than their estimate but without any extra procedures.

I just go to the dentist downstairs from my officetel for checkups and cleaning. No snazzy cafe/reception area or English-speaking receptionists but I'm happy with the work my new dentist has done so far. I suggest checking out the local dentists in your area and you may be pleasantly surprised by their English skills.

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

tl;dr version:

Korean dentists are by and large awful and should be avoided.

I would have to say to anyone about to go for or needing a dental procedure done in Korea - to ignore this.

It is not the 'by and large' it is a very small few.

In 7 yrs I have had a wisdom tooth removed, 2 root canals, 2 fillings and one crown done in Korea and I simply could not be happier with the final results or service, both were of the highest standard, as well as the dentists and their staff's 'bedsidee manner.'

I also have several freinds all of whom have been here longer than me who would also back my assertion.

I have had dental work done in Seoul (Itaewon, Gangnam, Yangjae - all private clinics), Ilsan (bekpyonwan - large public hospital) and Gumi (private clinic.)

I have had AS GOOD or better service than in the UK and as good final treatments.

I always go to large public hospitals or tbh swanky looking private clinics - as both obviously have standards and reputations to uphold.  The prices did not differ much between the hospotals and the nice clinics.

Go to a private International clini in Itaewon though and you will be conned on price ime.

[saab]

350,000 for a crown with a white cap? does that sound like a good price, i do have insurance?  it  sounds expensive but what do others think???

thank you

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

350,000 for a crown with a white cap? does that sound like a good price, i do have insurance?  it  sounds expensive but what do others think???

thank you

Good price.  Gold is better though as less brittle.  And it's cheaper. 

[willem.n.dutoit]

Hey guys,

So i need to get Invisalign done at Boston Dental, but I am looking into buying insurance that covers me for dental work, since the procedure is going to be rather pricey and I need reconstruction afterwards as well? Any recommendations for a good private insurance that specifically covers dental work?

[choyichoi]

Just went through the entire thread and it seems that Boston and Tufts seem to be the most recommended clinics for Seoul dentists. I also wanna get my wisdom teeth checked out. And I do also hate the scraping procedure they do when they perform scaling on your teeth. After having had NINE (or was it ten!?) filllings done by my previous dentist (by which I'm now very doubtful that I needed them done in the first place!), I really hope that my next dentist can be reliable and not shock me with news that I need to have multiple surgeries and fillings done again!!

Comparing the two clinics, I have gathered that Tufts is more expensive than Boston? And I think Boston opens till later on Saturdays which is good because of my school schedule (PS). Hm, I guess both are equally as good?

[Ev]

I just had 4 wisdom teeth removed this afternoon at Tufts.

Prior to that, I was freaking myself out - watching youtube videos and wondering if Tufts was really as good as what other posters made them out to be.

When I got there, I expressed my concerns (freaked out) about getting all 4 taken out, and the hygenist was lovely and told me that I could get 2 today and the other 2 next week. But then the tranquilizer pill kicked in and I decided on 4.

Dr Sohn comes in and injects a bunch of anesthetic into my mouth. Waits a while. Green mat goes over my face.

Within one hour, all 4 wisdom teeth have been removed! Ta-daaa~

AND it was only 350,000 won! Some of you might say you've paid less elsewhere, but for that quality of service, I'm happy to pay that. Especially since it costs an arm and a leg for any dental work in Australia.


They really are a lovely bunch at Tufts. Highly recommend them.

[Morticae]

I had a wisdom tooth removed, it was not expensive at all. Here was the exact order of events:

1) Go to dental clinic. Get X-Ray. Dentist gave me prescription and told me to come back in 5 days. COST: 4,500 won.
2) After 5 days, return. They injected me with a local anesthetic to numb the area, then they did their cutting/pulling. COST: 3,000 won.
3) 1 day later, return. He looked at it and took something out, maybe gauze. COST: Free.
4) 1 week after extraction, return. He removed all stitches. COST: Free.

Total cost, under 10,000 won (not including medication). With prescriptions, it was about 11,000 won to extract 1 wisdom tooth.

[grajoker]

If I'm not mistaken, most public school english teacher's medical insurance doesn't cover dental unfortunately.  Mine is from the "National Health Insurance Corporation" and it doesn't cover anything for dental :'(

what exactly does our pathetic medical insurance cover seems we have to pay  for everything anyway!

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

Actually the national health policy - it does cover non cosmetic dental work.

[golfgurl_04]

has anyone gotten a dental implant or know how much it would cost in korea?

[pjhow2000]

A dentist at my local hospital charged me 30,000 to have a filling replaced.  He also filled and polished another tooth for free.  I was lucky to have a Korean with me but the dentist spoke perfect English.
I would have been charged much more if I had visited my National Health Dentist in England.  I'm lucky to be registered with an NHS dentist as it is but my experience in Korea was amazing!
 

[grajoker]

I had a wisdom tooth removed, it was not expensive at all. Here was the exact order of events:

1) Go to dental clinic. Get X-Ray. Dentist gave me prescription and told me to come back in 5 days. COST: 4,500 won.
2) After 5 days, return. They injected me with a local anesthetic to numb the area, then they did their cutting/pulling. COST: 3,000 won.
3) 1 day later, return. He looked at it and took something out, maybe gauze. COST: Free.
4) 1 week after extraction, return. He removed all stitches. COST: Free.

Total cost, under 10,000 won (not including medication). With prescriptions, it was about 11,000 won to extract 1 wisdom tooth.

where was this???? sounds like a fat lie I went to tufts today had a filling done and teeth cleaned cost!! 179000 won..

[grajoker]

Actually the national health policy - it does cover non cosmetic dental work.

if it is true as you allege then the insurance should pay for a dental check up not true? Why is then that the person has to pay seems like the nhic is just a pretend medical cover to give foreigners the false hope of actually being 'covered'

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

^^

It will cover a check up I think (I found it hard to actually decipher your post) and any NON COSMETIC work.  Cosmetic meaning - the work is being done only to improve appearance and is not medically neccessary.

Last time I went to have a wisdom tooth removed and 3 follow up visits for cleaning etc it cost around 30k total.  Again, not cosmetic cleaning, just cleaning the wounds and dressings being replaced etc.

Dentistry is absurdly cheap here for non cosmetic.

[walker]

Can anyone recommend a good dentist on Jeju?