Maxillofacial Surgery in South Korea

Maxillofacial surgery is a specialty of dental medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of patients with diseases that affect the mouth, face, jaws, and neck – both hard and soft tissue regions. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are oral surgeons, but they have had additional training to address more complex issues. They work with patients of all ages, ranging from newborn babies to elderly people. They can treat children who are born with deformities of the face or skull, such as cleft lip and palate. With adults, they usually perform surgery following an accident or injury. With older people, they usually treat skin tumors of the face and head, as well as oral cancer.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons can undertake a wide range of procedures. They are trained and qualified to properly administer anesthesia and perform complex and extensive surgeries. These include:

• Dental implants
• Minimally invasive tooth extraction
• Surgical removal of wisdom teeth, worn down or impacted teeth, and retained tooth roots
• Surgical removal of benign and malignant tumors from the head and neck
• Surgical removal of jaw cysts and tumors
• Salivary gland surgery for benign and malignant lesions
• Surgery of skin lesions of the head and neck
• Oral cancer treatment
• Surgical treatment for cleft palate and lip, as well as other congenital facial deformities
• Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) treatment
• Orthognathic (jaw) surgery
• Sleep apnea surgery
• Surgical treatment of facial injuries, such as complex craniofacial fractures, soft tissue injuries, as well as fractures of the upper and lower jaw, nose, and cheekbone
• Reconstructive surgery, such as microvascular free tissue transfer
• Cosmetic surgery of the head and neck, such as brow surgery, rhinoplasty, facelifts, otoplasty, blepharoplasty, neck liposuction, as well as injectable cosmetic treatments such as Botox.

How Long Should I Stay in South Korea?          

The type of procedure you underwent and the specific disease or condition you have determines your length of stay. Several procedures, such as orthognathic surgery, require you to stay in the hospital for several days, while other procedures, such as dental implants do not require a hospital stay. In general, you should plan to stay in South Korea for at least 7 to 14 days to give some time for the surgical site to heal and to attend scheduled follow-up checkups.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

Recovery time varies a lot, depending on the type of procedure and the specific condition you have. It mainly takes up to around 12 weeks until you completely recover, but you may be allowed to return to work and most of your normal activities within 4 to 6 weeks. For minor procedures, such as tooth extraction, you can expect to recover within 2 days. 

What Aftercare is Required?

Your surgeon will provide you with everything you will need for your aftercare, such as activity restrictions, special diet, and how to care for the surgical wounds. For some procedures and diseases, you may need to attend several follow-up visits. For example, after oral cancer treatment, you will have to attend regular checkups to ensure cancer has not come back. You typically can choose to have follow-up visits with your doctor or dentist back at home if you want to.

What's the Success Rate?

Most oral and maxillofacial surgery has high success rates and is considered safe and effective. For example, dental implants have over 85% success rates. This surgical specialty continues to advance and evolve each year. Today, oral and maxillofacial surgeons use the latest techniques and technology to assist them in their work, such as CT and MRI scans. This technology enables them to view complex structures of the face and skull base, making the procedures a lot safer and successful than they were in the past. Still, there are risks you need to be aware of, such as infection and bleeding.

Are there Alternatives?

The alternative depends on the procedure you need or condition you have. For example, you can go to a dentist for a tooth extraction or a plastic surgeon for a rhinoplasty. It is best to talk to your general physician first. 

Maxillofacial Surgery in and around South Korea

About South Korea

South Korea’s population is 51 million and it's capital Seoul is a major world city. 50 percent of the country’s population lives within the Seoul Capital Area which includes Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi-do. The capital is situated in the north-west region of the country.

The Republic of Korea has immense potential for medical tourism with futuristic hospitals, sophisticated technologies, and advanced procedures. The government is taking all measures to make the country a top medical tourism destination. By 2022, it is looking to receive 998,000 medical tourists in the country.

Tourists from the USA, UAE, and Japan travel to Korea for affordable treatments. Some medical institutions in South Korea offer price packages, especially for plastic surgery, and help the medical tourist to save up to 40 percent on the treatment, even after adding travel and accommodation costs.

The Country has 27 accredited JCI-certified state-of-art hospitals. Severance Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, and JK Plastic Surgery Centre are the most renowned hospitals within South Korea for medical tourism. The Doctors are well-educated to international standards of certifications and training.

The country is popular for treatments and procedures in several medical specialties, with an excellent track record for success and survival rates. Cancer treatment, plastic surgery, cardiovascular procedures, orthopedics, and preventive health check-ups are the top five areas for medical tourism in Korea.

Popular Parts of South Korea

South Korea is much more than just Seoul as it is home to modern cities, relaxed and traditional folk villages, breath-taking landscapes, and beautiful beaches. The following are some interesting and noteworthy places to visit:

1. Seoul – The capital city is a mix of pop and party culture, modern architecture, scenic parks, and glittering promenades and it is also rich in history and culture. The National Museum, War Memorial, Changdeokgung Palace, and Bukchon Hanok Village are some of the key attractions in Seoul.
2. The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) – DMZ is one of the most important places in South Korea as you will get a better knowledge of the troubles between North and South. When you book a DMZ 3rd tunnel tour, make sure it includes the tram ride up and down the tunnel, or you will be in for a long walk. You can also get a glimpse of North Korea from the Observation Post in DMZ.
3. Busan - Is the second largest city of South Korea and is well known for hosting Asia’s biggest international film festival. It is also a unique blend of modern skyscrapers, majestic mountains, picturesque beaches, and magnificent Buddhist temples. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple and the Jagalchi fish market are some of the popular sites.
4. Jeju Island –Has beautiful white sandy beaches, volcanic craters, and lava caves, and the botanical gardens will take your breath away. Hyeopjae & Hamdeok beach, Cheonjiyeon Waterfalls, and Seongsan Sunrise Peak are some of the interesting places on this island.
5. Gyeongju –This coastal city has a large collection of cultural and historical sites dating back a thousand years. It gives you a peek into its cultural roots through the UNESCO World Heritage site, Bulguksa Temple, and the National Museum.

Seoraksan National Park, Incheon, and Pyeongchang County are a few other places to visit in South Korea.

Weather and Climate in South Korea

South Korea has a mild climate with four seasons.

• Summers are from June to August and are hot, humid, and rainy. There can be heavy rainfall in July and August.
• Winters are from late November to mid-March. During winter, it is freezing cold in the north and the interiors and mild along the southern coasts and snowfalls are rare.
• Spring is from mid-March to May. It is cold at the beginning of the season and gradually becomes milder. Rainfall becomes more frequent with the formation of low-pressure systems.
• Autumn is from September to late November and this is a pleasant season and during October the highest temperature is around 68 to 72°F. Rainfall is considerably less than in spring.

The average temperature in Seoul in January is around 73.4 to 81.5°F and in July its 71° to 75°F.

Getting Around in South Korea

Incheon International Airport at Seoul handles many daily flights from North America. Many of which are non-stop from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Korean Air, United, and Delta Airlines operate a lot of these flights. Seoul is also reachable from its other Asian neighbors, Europe, and the middle-east. Other international airports in South Korea are located in Busan, Cheongju, and Jeju.

Gimpy International Airport, also in Seoul, handles domestic flight operations. You can connect to the Seoul Subway System, and to Incheon Airport by the Arex Train System.

Train travel is the most convenient and economical way to get around in South Korea. You can buy a KORAIL rail pass when you arrive at the airport. South Korea’s high-speed bullet train, the KTX, connects Seoul to Busan within 3 hours and It also connects to the other major cities within South Korea.

The Seoul Bus Terminal and the Central City Terminal operate buses to all of the cities. Bus travel is inexpensive and efficient, and fairly empty traveling to the smaller cities. Renting a car is also an option, but expensive.

Tourist Visas in South Korea

South Korea has an agreement with 117 jurisdictions for a visa-waiver. Visitors from countries under the visa-waiver program, such as the USA, Japan, EU countries, and New Zealand can enter the country without a tourist visa. Tourists can stay for up to 90 days with a valid passport. Canadians can enter visa-free and stay up to 180 days.

Citizens of most Asian countries like India and China and Russia need a tourist visa to travel to South Korea.

Additional Information

1. Korean Republican Won (KRW) is the currency of Korea. One US dollar converts to 1149.00 KRW.
2. You can exchange most of the major currencies to KRW in banks and currency exchanges. US dollars and Euros are the easiest to convert.
3. You can withdraw money from the many ATMs. Or you may even use credit cards for payments in South Korea.
4. Korean and Korean Sign Language are the official languages of South Korea. Hangul is the formal script.
5. 56.9% of the people are non-religious. Among the religious population, the majority are Christians. Others follow Korean Buddhism.
6. The culture of South Korea is a blend of ancient Korean culture with ancient Chinese and Japanese cultures. Respect for elders is an important aspect of their culture.
7. New Year Day (falls in February as per lunar calendar), The Birthday of Buddha (early May), Independence Day (March 1), Memorial Day (June 6), Constitution Day (July 17) are a few important holidays in the Republic of Korea.