General Questions
# Where is the clinic located?
Country: South Korea (Republic of Korea).
Name of City: Cheonan (1 hour away from the capital city Seoul)
Address: www.fcstnet.com/clinic-map-directory/
# Where do I stay during the treatment?
Three options you can choose:
1. apartment available from the clinic (to be charged separately from the treatment)
2. hotel or inn
3. Airbnb
! For options #2 & 3, we do NOT make a reservation for hotel/inn/Airbnb on the patient’s behalf. The patient ought to make a reservation on their own.
Please refer to the following link: www.fcstnet.com/close-accommodations/
# Can I get a video consultation without visiting the clinic? or Can I send you my pictures/videos for some advice?
NO.
For any proper advice, Dr. Lee needs to perform the diagnostic tests that cannot be performed without the patient visiting the clinic.
And it’s hard to assess a patient’s condition merely from their descriptions/pictures/videos.
For that reason, we do not offer online consultation as per the clinic’s policy.
And it’s beyond Dr. Lee’s capacity to figure out the exact duration of the entire treatment before even a diagnosis since each patient has a different set of complications, severity, and duration of illness.
Also, there are too many factors that can affect the duration and the number of treatment sessions required.
Dr. Lee can estimate how long it may take some time after 1 or 2 months by comparing your condition before and after this treatment.
The patient is required to personally visit our clinic in order to get any further advice and diagnosis.
# I live in OOOOOO. Could you recommend any doctor in my country? (Anyone who does a similar treatment as you do?)
NO. We do not have a list of other doctors in other countries.
# Is there any treatment that I can do myself without visiting your clinic in Korea?
NO. There is no other option to be done without personally visiting our clinic.
# I have a few questions for Dr. Lee. Can I speak with him on the phone?
NO. Dr. Lee cannot answer your phone calls due to his appointments.
Please leave your questions via email: www.fcstnet.com/ask-questions/
# How do I apply for the medical visa?
Please read the following link carefully: www.fcstnet.com/how-to-apply-for-medical-visa-at-embassy-of-republic-of-korea/
You can find all the necessary information at the above link.
# Could you issue me a diagnosis report/doctor’s note/medical certificate for my medical visa?
NO. You CANNOT get a diagnosis report/doctor’s note/medical certificate without personally visiting our clinic & getting the treatment.
It’s nonsense asking us to issue those documents without even having been to our clinic.
Plus, virtual diagnosis through the video call is NOT available at the clinic.
You must get those documents from the clinic in your country.
# Can I get the diagnostic tests through a video call without visiting your clinic in South Korea?
NO. There is no way to perform diagnostic tests without the patient visiting our clinic in person.
# I would like to work and get treatment in South Korea. Could you find me a job there?
Absolutely not.
It’s very inappropriate to ask us to arrange for your job.
Plus your request itself is illegal.
We are obligated to report immigration office any attempt to work (get a job) in South Korea with a medical visa.
There is a high chance you’ll be deported immediately and never be able to enter South Korea.
# How do I travel there from the airport?
Please see the following link: www.fcstnet.com/guide-for-travel-to-clinic-from-incheon-international-airport/
# I do not speak Korean. Do you have a translator in your clinic?
We have an English speaking manager for foreign patients in our clinic.
The manager will assist patients in communicating with Dr. Lee & the staff at the clinic.
Regarding Standard Intraoral Balancing Appliance (a.k.a. IBA)
# What is a standard intraoral balancing appliance (IBA)?
The standard intraoral balancing appliance (ex. TBA, OBA, ABA, OAA) is an important part of your treatment. The purpose of IBA (intraoral balancing appliance) is to keep TMJ balance stable after the use of CBA in between each session. It is prescribed along with the individually customized intraoral appliance (i.e. CBA) to help restore the balance in your temporomandibular (TMJ) joints and the total body function.
# What are the various types of standard intraoral balancing appliances (IBA)?
There are several types of IBA and you will be prescribed one that is most suitable for your condition. The four main types available are TBA, OBA, ABA, and OAA. Under each type, there are a number of variations available depending on the size of the patient’s mouth and the nature of the malocclusion requiring treatment.
# How are the standard intraoral balancing appliances (IBA) different from the individually customized intraoral balancing appliance (CBA)?
The standard intraoral balancing appliances are different from the customized intraoral appliance in a number of ways.
|
Customized Intraoral Balancing Appliance (CBA) |
Standard Intraoral Balancing Appliances (IBA: TBA, OBA, ABA, OAA) |
| 1. It is made new during each treatment session. | 1. It is prescribed once at the beginning of your treatment. |
| 2. Color: Blue | 2. Color: Transparent |
| 3. Non-reusable: It is discarded once its treatment effects have dissipated. | 3. Re-usable: It is worn in between your treatment sessions. |
| 4. The treatment progresses rapidly. | 4. The treatment progresses slowly. |
| 5. It MUST BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY once you begin to experience “deviation” symptoms. | 5. It has no risks associated with “deviation” and thus, can be worn continuously. |
# How do I use the standard intraoral balancing appliance (IBA)?
- Do not bite down on the appliance. It should sit gently between your teeth.
- Do not wear the appliance while eating.
- Clean the inside and outside of the appliance daily by brushing it with your toothbrush.
- It is encouraged that the appliance be worn as many hours in a day as you can handle (including while asleep at night) in order to maximize the treatment effect and speed to recovery.
- Practice correct posture while wearing the appliance in order to maximize the treatment effect.
- Practice the prescribed stretching exercises regularly while wearing the appliance in order to maximize the treatment effect.
# Can I order the standard intraoral balancing appliance (IBA) online without visiting your clinic?
NO, you cannot order it online. We’re getting so many emails asking if they can purchase it online and treat themselves (….?) without visiting our clinic.
First off, there are nearly 50 different appliances. The IBA is varied with its sizes, occlusion types, hardness, and treatment stages. There is no way to figure out which appliance to prescribe without having a proper examination in person.
More importantly, Dr. Lee needs to give the patient diagnostic tests to see if the appliance will work for the patient.
IBA plays a very important role in the course of treatment but the treatment is not just about the IBA (standard intraoral balancing appliance). The core treatment is customized balancing appliance (CBA) that Dr. Lee makes in each session with the 0.05mm precision for the optimal freeway space. The main purpose of IBA is to keep TMJ balance stable after the use of CBA in between each session.
*For those patients with intractable diseases such as dystonia or Tourette Syndrome, it’s hard to gain conspicuous results only with the IBA.
# What are the potential temporary side effects while wearing the standard intraoral balancing appliance (IBA)?
1. Any dental discomfort including but not limited to toothache, looseness of teeth, swollen or inflamed gums, etc.
– This is an initial and normal response of your body to the intraoral appliance and will usually resolve in a couple of weeks.
– The discomfort is typically greater for patients with severe malocclusion.
-OBA is often associated with greater discomfort than TBA.
-If the discomfort is unbearable, temporarily disuse the intraoral appliance and slowly reintroduce it by gradually increasing the number of hours it is worn.
2. Any discomfort associated with biting and chewing difficulties
– This is a normal and temporary response as your bite alignment normalizes and will usually resolve in a few days.
3. Nausea
– Temporarily remove the intraoral appliance and reintroduce it when the nausea subsides. Repeat this multiple times and the nausea should eventually diminish.
4. Increased salivation
– Try not to spit out the excess saliva but keep swallowing as usual
5. Dry mouth in the morning especially when the appliance has been worn overnight
– This is more common in elderly patients. Hydrate yourself regularly by drinking warm water throughout the day.
6. The appliance is found spat out while sleeping
– A surgical mask is commonly worn in Korea in order to prevent exposure to air pollution and can be easily purchased at a local pharmacy. Wear a surgical mask over your mouth when sleeping for approximately a week until your body becomes accustomed to the appliance.
* When you wear standard intraoral balancing appliance, make sure to wear it correctly:
Make sure the letter (TBA/OBA/ABA/OAA) is not upside down.
The letter is supposed to be the upper side of the appliance
Regarding Customized Intraoral Appliance
# What is a customized intraoral appliance?
It is an intraoral appliance that is individually molded using the Exafine Putty during your treatment. The customized intraoral appliance used in our clinic is called the Cervical Balancing Appliance (CBA). It is a key treatment component of FCST.
# How does the Cervical Balancing Appliance (CBA) work?
– The CBA is prepared once the patient’s temporomandibular joints have been balanced to optimal height. The patient is required to sit with the correct posture while the CBA is being prepared while CBA is made.
– CBA is individually prepared to provide comfortable support for the teeth along physiologic inclination between upper and lower incisors, to provide a comfortable contact along the occlusal plane between upper and lower molars, and to induce the mandible to the balanced position (CR, CO) in relation with the cranium.
– CBA provides optimal support to induce a multidimensionally balanced position to your TMJ in relation to each individual’s systemic conditions.
