Taking away less, for a more natural smile
This is Dr. Suwan Kim, head dentist at SU Dental Hospital. As I start this blog, I wanted the first post to be about me. I’ll write it the way I’d talk with you in the consultation room.
If you’re reading this, chances are at least one of these sounds familiar:
You’re self-conscious about yellowish teeth or a gap between your front teeth when you smile
You’re interested in veneers but hesitant because you’re afraid too much tooth will be shaved down
You’re worried veneers will look unnatural
Your gums show a lot when you smile, or receding gums make your teeth look long
Just sitting in a dental chair makes you get goosebumps
You have limited time and can’t easily make multiple visits
There’s definitely no shortage of dental clinics, or of information about them. If anything, that makes it harder to tell whether a clinic will do only as much as you truly need. So today I’d like to be candid about how I approach treatment and what kind of place SU Dental Hospital is.
“What would I do if these were my teeth?”
Dr. Suwan Kim, Chief Dentist, SU Dental Hospital
Graduate, Seoul National University School of Dentistry
Completed master’s coursework, Seoul National University Graduate School of Dentistry
Faculty member, veneer seminars
Certified personal color consultant, Levels 1 and 2
Every time I put together a treatment plan, I ask myself one question:
“If these were my teeth, would I have this done?”
Once a tooth is shaved down, there’s no going back. That’s why, before I recommend any treatment, I first ask whether it’s truly needed right now.
Some people come in for a veneer consultation and leave having been told, “I don’t think you need veneers.” Some only need whitening; some just need a small gap closed with resin (a tooth-colored filling material); and for others, orthodontics or gum treatment should come first. So rather than opening with “How many veneers would you like?” I start consultations by asking, “What bothers you most when you smile?”
One: Minimal reduction, a tailored result
Our signature veneer is the Su-veneer, and whenever possible we take a no-prep or minimal-prep approach—that is, the veneer is bonded with little or no shaving of your natural tooth. The more healthy tooth structure we preserve, the more stable the bond and the longer your veneers can serve you.
Before we touch a single tooth, we always explain everything thoroughly and decide on a plan together. We begin only once you understand where and how much we’ll reshape, and why.
Two: Natural results that don’t look “done”
The result I work hardest to avoid is teeth that make anyone think, “Those are veneers.” Good veneers should look as if they’ve always been your own teeth. So I don’t look at the teeth in isolation; I also consider how they harmonize with your face, lips and skin tone.
On the day of your consultation, an AI smile simulation lets you preview how you’ll look after treatment, and we match your veneers to the shade that suits you best, taking your personal color (the palette that complements your natural coloring) into account.
Three: Same-day treatment in a single visit
SU Dental Hospital has its own in-house dental lab. We take digital impressions with an intraoral scanner (Primescan), then fabricate your restorations right here on our milling unit (Primemill). So with an advance booking, veneers and inlays can be completed the same day.
Another big advantage is that we can try them in as soon as they’re made and adjust them on the spot. Patients who come from elsewhere in Korea or from overseas on tight schedules head home with their new smile within a single day.
Four: Gentle, comfortable care
More people than you might think have put off treatment out of fear of the dentist. We reduce discomfort in stages—first a numbing rinse, then a topical anesthetic, then local anesthesia delivered with a painless-injection system—and conscious sedation is available for patients with significant anxiety.
We also redesigned the space from scratch. Before it’s a dental office, I wanted it to be a place where you can pause and catch your breath in the middle of a busy day. Each treatment room is private, and interpreter-assisted consultations are available for international patients.
Five: Care that doesn’t end with treatment
I don’t believe my relationship with a patient should end when treatment does. For veneers, SU Dental Hospital offers both a free warranty period and a discounted warranty period, with terms that vary by veneer line. The dentist who begins your treatment will personally look after you through to the end, and beyond.
Treatments at SU Dental Hospital
Su-veneer (veneers)
Our signature no-prep or minimal-prep veneers, available in three lines—Basic, Classic and Signature—depending on the material.Gummy smile correction
We first determine whether excess gum display comes from the gum tissue, the bone or the way the lip moves, then choose a treatment suited to that cause.Gum recession repair (root coverage)
Receded gums are covered with a connective tissue graft (CTG) to address both sensitivity and teeth that look too long.Cosmetic contouring · One-day whitening · White spot treatment
Small concerns call for small treatments: minor tooth contouring without anesthesia, same-day professional whitening and Icon resin infiltration, which requires no drilling.Dental implants
Surgery is performed personally by a dentist who trained in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Seoul National University Dental Hospital, using CT-based digital surgical guides.Clear aligners
Used for pre-veneer alignment to reduce how much tooth needs to be shaved, or for partial orthodontic treatment.General dentistry
Q-ray precision diagnostics help us check for early cavities and cracks invisible to the naked eye, and we treat with the goal of preserving as much natural tooth as possible.
A final word
Thank you for reading to the end. I, too, have spent a long time looking at my own smile and wondering how to make it look more natural. Perhaps that’s why I’m often told I notice small differences more than my patients do. Half a millimeter of tooth length, the faintest difference in shade—I try never to let anything slide with “that’s probably good enough.”
Coming in for a consultation doesn’t mean you have to go ahead with treatment. There’s no rush: hear the full explanation, ask every question you have and begin once you’ve made up your mind. On this blog, I’ll be covering veneers, gum treatment, whitening and more, along with the questions I hear most often in the consultation room—one topic at a time, in my own voice.
“Gentle care, only as much as you need, for a smile that’s truly you”
We look forward to welcoming you at SU Dental Hospital.
This article was written by SU Dental Hospital and complies with Article 56 of the Korean Medical Service Act and related medical advertising regulations. Every procedure carries a risk of side effects that varies from person to person, so please talk it through fully with your dentist before making a decision.