What is helpful to know before an implant consultation: what a CT scan checks, why the order and timeline differ from person to person, Korean national health insurance conditions (age 65 or older, partially edentulous, two per lifetime), and side effects and aftercare.
Director Jeong Jinwoo · Published 2026.08.10 · Updated 2026.09.26
At a glance
- An implant is a treatment in which an artificial root is placed in the jawbone where a tooth is missing, and once it has bonded firmly with the bone, a tooth is placed on top.
- Whether an implant can be placed is judged by measuring the height and width of the jawbone and the distance to the nerve canal and maxillary sinus on CT.
- The timeline is set by adding up healing of the extraction site, the time for the bone to bond, and making the prosthesis. In the lower jaw with good bone, the prosthesis goes on 2–3 months after placement; if a bone graft is needed, it takes correspondingly longer.
- If you are 65 or older, Korean national health insurance covers up to two implants per lifetime, for partially edentulous patients only, with a 30% co-payment.
- An implant is not the first choice for every gap. We weigh it side by side with a bridge, a partial denture and an implant-retained denture.
What this guide covers
An implant replaces the root of a missing tooth with an artificial titanium root. The artificial root placed in the jawbone is called a fixture (Korean), the post connected on top of it an abutment (Korean), and the visible tooth a crown (Korean). The implant can withstand chewing force only after osseointegration (Korean) takes place, when new bone grows onto the fixture surface, so after placement we wait for a period without putting force on it.[2]
The biggest difference from a bridge (Korean) is that it fills a single gap without grinding down the teeth on either side. In return, it requires surgery, takes longer, and depends on your bone and general health. That is why at the consultation we look first at “what suits this site” rather than “whether to get an implant.”
At the first consultation we look at the bone at the planned site and the structures around it, your remaining teeth, and your general health. A panoramic X-ray is flat and cannot show bone thickness, so we check a vertical cross-section of the site on 3D CT.
Figure cited from an external paper · not a case from our clinicCT cross-sections of an upper molar site. The maxillary sinus has expanded downward, leaving a bone height of 6.1mm (a), and the planned implant enters the maxillary sinus, an example where bone augmentation on the sinus side is needed (b).Chung et al. · Figure 1 · DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics16030479 · CC BY 4.0 · Korean labels added
This figure is an example published in a paper. In the consultation room, we bring up your own CT and point out, in the same way, the bone height at the site and the distance to the nerve canal and maxillary sinus.
There are also things that are helpful to tell us before the consultation: your blood sugar levels, whether you use osteoporosis medication (Korean) (tablets or injections) and for how long, any blood-thinning medication (Korean), smoking, and any history of radiation therapy to the head or neck. Please do not stop any medication on your own; if an adjustment is needed, we will advise you to discuss it with the doctor who prescribed it.
If an implant is planned for a tooth that has not yet been extracted, what to decide on extraction day (socket preservation, a temporary tooth) and the medication and medical history checks are summarized in This tooth: six things to check before extraction (Korean).
Implant treatment proceeds in the order diagnosis → placement → waiting for osseointegration → prosthesis → regular checkups. If a bone graft or gum treatment is needed, that step is added before or in between.
| Step | What is done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ① Consultation and diagnosis | CT scan, check of bone and remaining teeth, explanation of the treatment plan | Compared alongside other options (bridge, denture) |
| ② Preparatory treatment | Extraction, gum treatment or bone graft if needed | If none is needed, go straight to ③ |
| ③ Placement surgery | The fixture is placed in the bone under local anesthesia | For a single implant without a bone graft, the surgery itself usually takes around 30–60 minutes |
| ④ Waiting for osseointegration | The period for the fixture and bone to bond | Typically 2–3 months in the lower jaw, 3–6 months in the upper jaw |
| ⑤ Prosthesis | The gum is shaped with a healing abutment (Korean), an impression is taken and the crown is connected | 2–3 weeks of gum healing + making the prosthesis |
| ⑥ Regular checkups | Check of gums, bone, bite and screws | Continues after the prosthesis |
※ These are generally known ranges, not guaranteed values. The placement surgery is described in Implant first-stage surgery (Korean).
What most divides the timeline is the time it takes for the bone to bond and whether bone has to be built first. When a tooth is extracted, the jawbone at that site shrinks on its own; a systematic review found that within 6 months, width decreases by about 29–63% and height by about 11–22%.[3] This is why the longer a site has been without a tooth, the more likely a bone graft will be needed.
| Situation | Approximate timeline |
|---|---|
| Lower jaw with good bone | Prosthesis 2–3 months after placement |
| Upper jaw with good bone | Prosthesis 3–6 months after placement |
| Waiting after extraction before placement | 4–8 weeks of gum healing or 3–4 months or more of bone healing is added to the above |
| Small bone graft at the same time as placement | About 1–2 months longer |
| Bone built first, then implant placed | 5–6 months or more in total |
| Gum treatment needed first | That much longer |
※ These are reference ranges, not absolute guaranteed values; the exact timeline is given individually after a detailed diagnosis.
Immediate implant placement (Korean), done on the day of extraction, can shorten the time for the extraction site to heal, but it is considered only when the bone walls are intact and there is no inflammation. The literature concludes that there is not yet enough evidence to say that any one timing is better.[4] A detailed comparison is in Why implant treatment time differs from person to person (Korean), and options when bone is lacking are in I was told I can’t get an implant because I have no bone (Korean).
Surgery begins only after we confirm that the local anesthesia (Korean) has taken full effect, so there is usually no sharp pain during surgery. Most people return to daily life within 1–2 weeks after surgery.
| When | What is common | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Day of surgery | A dull ache as the anesthesia wears off, a little blood in the saliva | Bite on gauze, apply cold compresses, take prescribed medication on time |
| Days 1–3 | Swelling is greatest on day 2–3; pain is usually worst on the first day | Soft foods, chew on the other side, avoid strenuous exercise and alcohol |
| About 1 week | Swelling subsides and stitches are removed | Begin gently brushing the surgical site |
| Osseointegration period | It looks fully healed on the outside | Do not chew hard foods on the implant side, avoid smoking |
If swelling does not go down after 4–5 days and instead gets bigger, or if you develop a fever, please contact us. If feeling in your lower lip or chin has not returned after the anesthesia should have worn off, contact us right away. Day-by-day progress is described in Swelling and pain after implant surgery: how many days is normal? (Korean).
The cost depends on the number of implants, additional procedures such as bone grafts or a sinus lift, and the abutment and crown materials. Our reference fees for each non-covered item are published on our fees page, and individual costs are explained, covering only the items needed, after a detailed diagnosis.
If you are 65 or older, Korean national health insurance applies under the conditions below.[9]
| Item | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Korean national health insurance subscribers and dependents aged 65 or older |
| Tooth condition | Partially edentulous (at least one natural tooth remains). Not eligible if no teeth remain |
| Number | Two per person per lifetime (upper and lower jaws combined) |
| Co-payment | 30% (separate criteria for near-poverty groups and Medical Aid recipients) |
| Procedure | The dental clinic registers the patient and tooth site with the National Health Insurance Service before treatment |
| Materials | Applies when covered, listed materials are used (two-piece fixture; crown either PFM, i.e. non-precious metal porcelain crown, or zirconia). Zirconia crowns have been covered since February 2025 |
| Not included in coverage | Additional surgery such as bone grafts (GBR), sinus lifts and socket preservation; custom abutments; a third implant onward |
Detailed conditions and step-by-step billing are summarized in Implant health insurance coverage conditions (Korean).
An implant is a treatment that requires surgery, and it is not a treatment that is guaranteed for life. Here is what we explain first at the consultation.
There are also cases where we do not recommend an implant or postpone it: uncontrolled diabetes, long-term use of bone resorption inhibitors, a history of radiation therapy to the jaw area, or cases where an extensive bone graft is needed and conditions unfavorable to healing overlap. Adolescents whose jawbones are still growing also wait until growth is complete.
We also explain other options. If the teeth on both sides have already had extensive treatment, there is a bridge (Korean); if teeth are missing in several places, a partial denture (Korean); and if a denture is loose, an implant-retained denture (Korean), which holds the denture with a small number of implants. For a site such as a single last molar where the discomfort is not great, monitoring is also an option. A comparison of the three approaches is in Is there any option other than an implant? (Korean).
Implants do not get cavities, but the surrounding gums and bone need care just like natural teeth. Continuing regular checkups after the prosthesis is connected is at the center of that care.
If an implant feels loose, hurts when you chew, or there is blood or pus from the gum, contact us without waiting for your next checkup. Causes range from a loose screw to peri-implantitis, and the earlier it is seen, the more often it can be resolved simply. Care methods are summarized in Implant maintenance (Korean).
Q. Can I get an implant even at an older age? The criteria are your bone and general health rather than age itself. We first check whether conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or osteoporosis medication are under control. More details are in Is there an age limit for implants? (Korean).
Q. Is it possible if I have diabetes? If blood sugar is well controlled, it is often possible. If it is not controlled, wound recovery and bone healing can be slower, so we sometimes consult your internal medicine doctor and get the levels in range first.
Q. I take osteoporosis medication. Is that all right? The judgment depends on the type of medication (tablets or injections) and how long you have used it. Please do not stop it on your own; tell us the name of the medication and how long you have used it at the consultation.
Q. I take blood-thinning medication. Please do not stop it on your own, and let us know in advance. If needed, we will advise you to discuss it with the doctor who prescribed it.
Q. Is the surgery very painful? During surgery there is usually no sharp pain because of the local anesthesia. Pain is greatest on the first day after the anesthesia wears off, and in most cases it is controlled with prescribed medication.
Q. How long does the surgery take? For a single implant without a bone graft, the surgery itself usually takes around 30–60 minutes. It takes longer depending on the number of implants and whether a bone graft is done, so we tell you the expected time while looking at your CT.
Q. Can the implant be placed on the day of extraction? It is possible in some cases if the bone walls are intact and there is no inflammation. For a site that had pus or where a lot of bone has been lost, placing the implant after healing is the appropriate order.
Q. Do I have to go without a tooth during treatment? For visible sites such as the front teeth, there are ways to manage with a temporary tooth or a temporary denture. Which methods are possible depends on the site and bone condition, so we decide together at the consultation.
Q. I was told it can’t be done because I have no bone. “No bone” usually means the height or width is a few millimeters short. In many cases an implant can be placed after creating space with a bone graft or a sinus lift, and if the burden is large, a different option may suit you better.
Q. Can I bring a CT taken at another dental clinic? A recent scan helps with the assessment. However, the shape of the bone changes quickly in the first few months after extraction, so if it was taken long ago, we take a new one and compare.
Q. I smoke. Is that all right? Smoking raises the risk of osseointegration failure and bone loss around the implant.[5] We recommend quitting at least around the time of surgery and during the period when the bone is bonding.
Q. Can several implants be placed at once? It is possible in some cases, but before the number comes the question of which sites to place them in so they take the chewing force. We look at the bone condition and bite and decide on the sites that are needed first.
Q. How many implants does health insurance cover? If you are 65 or older and partially edentulous with at least one natural tooth remaining, it covers up to two per lifetime with a 30% co-payment. Additional surgery such as bone grafts is not included in the coverage. For crowns, both PFM and zirconia are covered materials (zirconia since February 2025).
Q. Can implants get cavities? They do not get cavities. However, peri-implantitis can develop in the surrounding gum and bone, so brushing and regular checkups are needed.
Q. My implant seems to be loose. We need to distinguish between a loose crown or screw and bone loss around the implant due to peri-implantitis (Korean). Please contact us as soon as possible.
Q. How long can an implant be used? With care, implants are often used for a long time, but no treatment is guaranteed for life. The figure of about 96% 10-year survival is also for cases where care continued.[8]
Q. Can I get a bridge or denture instead of an implant? Yes. The more suitable option depends on the condition of the teeth on either side, the number of missing teeth, your bone and general health, and the treatment period you prefer, so we lay them side by side and explain.
This guide was written and reviewed by Director Jeong Jinwoo of Joy Dental Clinic Bongcheon (board-certified prosthodontist and specialist in integrated dentistry) based on standard dental knowledge. At Joy Dental Clinic Bongcheon, the director personally handles everything from diagnosis and placement to regular maintenance afterward. We are right next to Exit 1 of Bongcheon Station on Line 2, and directions from Seoul Nat’l Univ., Sillim, Nakseongdae and Sadang Stations are in Directions.
This guide is for general information; actual plans and costs are explained individually after a consultation and detailed diagnosis. Implant surgery can have side effects, and an accurate judgment is made through an examination.
RESERVATION
This article provides general information. An accurate diagnosis and treatment plan are given through consultation.
33 m from Exit 1, Bongcheon Station (Line 2) · Directions from Bongcheon Station →
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