Korean Job Discussion Forums

DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP · Joined: 28 May 2009 Location: Electron cloud

How did it go? - Great. Dentist had a very personal manner and afterwards whn the tooth had been extracted - he showed it to me and I was surprised as I thought he hadn't even started yet!!!!

Specifically, was it covered by your national health plan? - Yup.

Were you adequately doped up for the procedure? - the usual numbing injection was all but it was enough.

Were you prescribe adequate pain killers for the post-procedure? Yes as well as advice on what to eat or not pfor next few days and after care proceedures etc...

Approximate cost. - around 20,00 won at a swanky clinic in yangjae....!!

Tbh the care and treatments I've had in Korean hospitals / dental clinics has been very satisfactory over the years.

sarahbeara_413 · Joined: 24 Jun 2008

This story shouldn't deter you from getting your teeth pulled, but it should inspire you to do your research on dentists.
My friend and co-worker decided to get her wisdom teeth pulled out here, since she has insurance and it's super cheap. She found the name of a dentist in Apujeong on an expat website and went for it. First she got her teeth cleaned and some cavities taken care of, which cost her an ungodly amount of money. When she went again to get another cavity filled, the dentist suggested that she get her wisdom teeth pulled too and she said ok. It was a nightmare for her. He didn't use a proper amount of novacane and she felt like she was being tortured the whole time, after an hour of pulling on her tooth, he decided it wasn't going to come out and essentially sent her on her way and told her it might come out on it's own.
The next day when she told our boss what happened, our boss rushed her to a local dentist to get her checked out, where she was told that the tooth didn't need to come out in the first place. Her mouth was sore for weeks and she was traumatized by the whole experience.

I've read some other positive experiences in this thread, so I wouldn't suggest that Korean dentists are shady. But you should absolutely do your research and ask around for the names of a good reputable dentist.

tonyvu · Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 2:45 am Post subject:

is the cost the same for impacted teeth?

i took my top teeth out a while ago and it's likely i'll have to take my bottom impacted teeth when i get to korea...

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

Quick, painless, professionally done and 10,000. Thank you very much.

sqrlnutz123 · Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Location: South Korea

I need to get an impacted wisdom tooth out. Can I make an appointment with an oral surgeon or do I have to go to a regular dentist first?

debinoxford · Joined: 10 Jan 2008

I had three of my four wisdom teeth pulled in Korea last year, it was really simple. three fridays in a row, one at a time. my dentist told me that in order to remove my impacted 4th tooth i would have to go do an out-patient procedure with an oral surgeon at the local hospital. however, she also told me that since the 4th one wasn't bothering me, i wouldn't need to get it done. price quoted for impacted wisdom tooth on national health care- 30,000won. i have to say though, i never had coverage before for dental work and i needed it- had three crowns, several cavities filled, three teeth pulled and a free scraping session (that was the weirdest one) for WAAAAYYYY under what i would've paid back home. My mouth is now the most expensive thing I own. my dentist was fantastic and i will go back to her in a heartbeat if i get back to Ilsan. she spoke perfect english and was very professional for the several months i was getting work done from her. Smile

edit- i think you need to get a recommendation from a dentist to go to an oral surgeon. i think.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:33 am Post subject:

I've had lots of dental work done including three extractions (one a wisdom tooth). All were done with regular 'freezing' (Novocain) and I never used the antibiotic prescriptions K doctors & dentists LOVE to write. I was never prescribed any pain killers for post-op relief. Things will be sore and ache for a day or two... just be careful what you eat and how you chew.

Draz · Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Location: Land of Morning Clam

Ooh. Yes. I need this. I got the first two out in Canada four years ago and I think I've worked up the nerve to get the rest out now. It was so effing gross and horrible, not the yanking part but the recovery. I had holes in my gums for months and months, and one of them had a flap of gum that food would get stuck in (the one that had to be cut out). I could wiggle it back and forth with my tongue. The stitches drove me crazy. Now there's no sign they were ever there, gums are perfectly smooth and nice but that first year or two after they were out. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

Next time won't be so bad, I shouldn't need cutting or stitches so the holes will fill in faster.

Kaypea · Joined: 09 Oct 2008

I need dental work. What do you need when half of your tooth is missing? I had an uncapped root canal and half of my tooth fell out. This was years ago. I'm thinking of getting it fixed, but I'm not sure what to ask for.

Draz · Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Location: Land of Morning Clam

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

Not really related to getting it done in Korea, but I had my bottom 2 impacted wisdom tooth taken out in high school. It was painful, even after I woke up from the surgery.

They were impacted in a way, that they had to dig into part of a bone that was partially hiding my tooth. After the surgery I was dazed and was doped up on pain-killers for a few days. I couldn't eat solid food for about a week. They also gave me some funky plastic needle-like water shooter thingie. They told me to clean out the opening they cut between the bone and cheeks, and to come back in 2 weeks so they can check it out.

For that one week of solid food I really didn't know how to operate that needle thingie. When I went in for a check up, they sprayed out tons of food bits and showed me how to clean it properly. After that it was clear sailing. It took about 3 months for that red-skin stuff to grow back onto the exposed bone inside my mouth.

ocean_panther · Joined: 08 Dec 2010

I just got my upper two wisdom tooth taken out earlier today (here in California a few weeks before heading off to Korea). Surprisingly I have had no pain post surgery, so hopefully it will stay that way. I just feel lucky that they started popping out here as opposed to when I start to settle down in Korea.

I hear clove oil does wonders for open socket problems. I had the bottoms done 10 years ago and it was very painful back then.

rautenan · Joined: 12 Nov 2013

I was wondering if anybody on here could help me? I am currently back home in South Africa after my first year in Korea. After visiting the dentist last week, I found out I have to get all 4 my wisdom teeth removed. The bottom 2 teeth are both horizontally impacted so I have to get them surgically removed. I do not have health insurance in South Africa and I am coming back to Korea in about a month's time. Has anybody had their teeth surgically removed under anesthesia in Korea? (not talking about just getting some numbing cream and injections in the dentist chair, but actually being asleep during the whole process).

rainman3277 · Joined: 13 Sep 2009