Dental implants in Vietnam for New Zealand patients

A dental implant replaces a missing tooth root with a titanium fixture surgically placed into the jaw bone. Once it integrates with the bone over several months, a custom abutment and ceramic crown are attached to restore chewing function and appearance.

For New Zealand patients facing NZD 6,000 to NZD 7,500 per tooth at a private Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch clinic, Vietnam is a rational option — but only when the planning is rigorous, the components are brand-name, and the trade-offs are stated honestly before you book flights.

This page is the long-form guide for Kiwis considering implants at Picasso Dental Clinic in Vietnam. It covers pricing, brand choice, the realistic two-trip timeline, surgical protocol, how Picasso documents your case for follow-up in New Zealand, and the cases where flying simply does not make financial sense.

What a dental implant actually is

A modern dental implant has three parts.

1. The fixture — a titanium or titanium-alloy screw placed into the bone. This is the part that integrates with the jaw over 3 to 6 months and acts as a replacement tooth root.
2. The abutment — a connector that screws into the fixture and supports the crown above the gum line.
3. The crown — the visible ceramic tooth that is shade-matched to your existing teeth.

A “single implant” therefore usually refers to a complete restoration of one tooth using all three parts. Picasso’s published prices include fixture, abutment, and crown as a combined unit. This matters because some clinics quote only the fixture and add the abutment and crown later — turning what looked like a cheap implant into a much larger final invoice.

Picasso implant prices in NZD

Prices below are from the May 2026 Picasso Dental Clinic price list, converted at 1 NZD = 15,000 VND. They include fixture, abutment, and ceramic crown.

These are per-implant prices. The total cost of your treatment depends on how many teeth need implants, whether bone grafting is required, whether sedation is requested, and whether neighbouring teeth need crowns, extractions, or other work. All implant systems placed are backed by our comprehensive, written SmileCare Global Warranty.

For the full New Zealand-vs-Vietnam breakdown with city-by-city benchmarks, see our dental implant cost guide.

New Zealand vs Picasso economics

These New Zealand ranges are planning benchmarks based on indicative private quotes — they are not a promise about any specific Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch, or Dunedin clinic. Always ask your local dentist for an itemised written quote so you compare like with like.

The cost gap is wider for multi-tooth and full-arch cases. For one isolated tooth replacement, flights and accommodation can erode much of the saving. For 3 or more implants or an All-on-4 arch, dental tourism becomes financially compelling even after two round trips from New Zealand.

Read single tooth implant economics for the detailed break-even model.

Real Picasso implant case examples — anonymised

Three anonymised Kiwi cases that show how the price model translates into a written plan. Identifying details are removed; tooth counts, materials, and totals are accurate.

These are real treatment patterns from the Picasso implant programme presented without patient-identifying photos. Suitability and exact pricing depend on CBCT findings and clinical examination — confirmed in writing before flights. Read implant brands explained for the brand choice context.

What your written Picasso implant quote includes

Every Picasso NZD implant quote returned before you book flights includes:

• Tooth-by-tooth treatment list with implant brand and system code for each site.
• Itemised NZD pricing using 1 NZD = 15,000 VND, dated on the quote.
• Whether the price is for fixture only, or fixture + abutment + crown together.
• Bone grafting, sinus augmentation, or socket preservation if needed, quoted separately.
• Number of trips and the expected gap between them.
• Written warranty period for fixture, abutment, and crown.
• Diagnostic scans included (OPG, CBCT) versus billed extras.
• A clear note if implants are not recommended and what alternative is.

There are no on-arrival surprises. If the CBCT on day 1 changes the plan — for example, the bone height requires a sinus lift — the revised plan is given in writing before any surgery is performed.

Why brand choice matters more than headline price

Cheap unknown implants exist. They might cost half the price of a Straumann fixture. They might integrate fine. But if something goes wrong in 8 years — a fractured abutment screw, a loose crown, peri-implantitis requiring replacement parts — your New Zealand dentist may not be able to source compatible components.

That is the silent risk in budget dental tourism. The implant works fine until it does not, and then nobody local can service it.

Picasso uses Straumann, Nobel Biocare, and Neodent specifically because their systems are supported globally, including in New Zealand. Replacement screws, abutments, and prosthetic parts are obtainable through New Zealand distributors. Your local dentist can look up your fixture in the manufacturer’s catalogue using the implant passport Picasso provides.

This is why we do not promote the cheapest tier as the default recommendation. The cheapest tier exists for patients who understand the trade-off. The brand-name tier exists for patients who want their New Zealand dentist to be able to maintain the work for the next 15 to 25 years.

Read implant brands explained before choosing a tier.

The Picasso implant team

Picasso’s implant programme is led by clinicians with substantial procedure volumes.

• Dr. Tran Thanh Phong — Head of Implantology. Practising dentistry since 2001. Over 15,000 implants placed across his career, with roughly 600 implants placed per year at current volumes. First Vietnamese dentist to perform All-on-4 immediate loading, starting in 2010. Over 1,000 All-on-4 patients. Performs zygomatic implants for severely atrophic upper jaws, with 400 zygomatic cases since 2017. Trained at Loma Linda University in 2010. Clinical representative for Nobel Biocare in Vietnam since 2007.
• Dr. Hung Le Ba Gia (Dr. Evans) — Lead Implant Specialist. Over 1,000 implants placed. Over 200 All-on-4 cases.

For complex full-arch and zygomatic cases, Dr. Phong’s procedure volume is the relevant number. For routine single implants and small multi-unit cases, the wider implant team handles surgery and prosthetics in coordination with diagnostic imaging.

The CBCT-guided protocol

Picasso does not place implants without 3D imaging. Every implant case begins with a CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) scan, which produces a three-dimensional view of bone height, bone width, nerve position, sinus floor, and adjacent tooth roots.

CBCT planning is not optional in modern implant dentistry. If a clinic quotes you an implant without proposing a 3D scan, that is a warning sign regardless of where the clinic is located.

Read sterilisation standards for surgical hygiene protocols.

The honest two-trip reality

Most implant cases require two trips to Vietnam, separated by 3 to 6 months of healing in New Zealand. Some cases qualify for immediate-loading protocols where a provisional crown is placed at the same surgical visit, but this depends on bone quality, implant position, bite forces, and whether you smoke.

Budget two return flights from New Zealand. For Aucklanders that is often around NZD 1,200 to NZD 1,800 per return trip; less from Christchurch or Wellington. Add accommodation, travel insurance with dental cover, and annual leave.

If you can combine the implant work with multi-tooth cases or family dental treatment, the per-tooth saving improves. If you are flying to Vietnam for a single tooth that already had a low quote in New Zealand, the maths often does not work.

See trip timeline guide for detailed scheduling.

When to fly and when to stay home

Flying to Vietnam usually makes sense if:

• You need 3 or more implants in one mouth.
• You need a full arch All-on-4 or All-on-6.
• Your New Zealand quote exceeds NZD 6,500 per tooth and you want Straumann or Nobel components at a lower fee.
• You are already travelling to Vietnam or a nearby country.
• You can take 5 to 7 days off work for each trip without significant earnings loss.
• You want premium brand systems that NZ private clinics offer at premium prices.

Stay in New Zealand if:

• You need a single implant with a quoted NZ price under NZD 6,000.
• You have complex medical conditions requiring close local monitoring.
• You cannot commit to the second trip for the final crown.
• You require frequent local adjustments or have a history of failed implant integration.
• You smoke heavily and cannot stop during healing.
• You require ACC-funded treatment that is only available through NZ providers.

The clinic that tells you when not to fly is more trustworthy than the clinic that tells you everything is possible.

Bone grafting and sinus augmentation

Some patients do not have enough bone to receive a standard implant. This is common in patients who have been missing teeth for years, where the bone has resorbed.

Picasso may recommend:

• Socket preservation at the time of extraction to retain bone for later implants.
• Bone grafting using synthetic or biologic material to rebuild ridge width or height.
• Sinus lift in the upper back jaw where the sinus floor is too low for a standard implant.
• Short implants designed for limited bone height.
• Zygomatic implants in the most atrophic upper jaws, anchored into the cheekbone — Dr. Phong’s specialist area.

The CBCT scan determines what is needed. Grafting is disclosed in your written NZD estimate before flights — there should be no day-of-surgery surprises.

What you take home for your New Zealand dentist

Picasso provides each implant patient with documentation suitable for follow-up in New Zealand:

• Implant passport with brand, fixture diameter, fixture length, system code, and torque values.
• Abutment specifications and connection type.
• Crown material and shade reference.
• Treatment summary and post-op care plan.
• Warranty documents.
• CBCT and intraoral imaging records on request.

Your New Zealand general dentist can perform routine hygiene, peri-implant probing, occlusion checks, and basic maintenance using this documentation. For specialist work — abutment replacement, prosthetic repair, peri-implantitis management — having branded components named on your passport allows local sourcing of replacement parts.

Read follow-up care in New Zealand for the maintenance protocol.

Treatment paths for different cases

• One missing tooth — single tooth implant. Often a financially marginal case unless combined with other work.
• Two to four missing teeth in the same arch — multiple single implants or an implant bridge. Often the sweet spot for dental tourism savings.
• Most or all teeth missing in one arch — All-on-4 or All-on-6. Largest dental tourism savings.
• Complex mixed cases — full mouth reconstruction combining implants, crowns, and other treatment.
• Aesthetic front teeth — implants combined with veneers on adjacent teeth for visual continuity.

Safety questions to ask before paying a deposit

1. What is the proposed implant brand and system code?
2. Will there be a CBCT scan, and is the scan included in the quote?
3. Is the price quoted for fixture only, or for fixture, abutment, and crown together?
4. Is bone grafting included or quoted separately?
5. How many trips are required, and what is the time gap between trips?
6. What warranty applies to the implant, abutment, and crown separately?
7. What records do I take home?
8. What is the protocol if the implant fails to integrate?
9. Who is the surgeon, and how many implants do they place per year?
10. What is the aftercare process when I return to New Zealand?

If a clinic — anywhere — cannot answer these clearly in writing, wait.

What to send for a better quote

Picasso prepares preliminary NZD quotes from records you send before travelling. The better the records, the more accurate the estimate.

Send:

• A recent OPG (panoramic) X-ray if you already have one.
• A CBCT scan if you have one — saves time on arrival.
• Front smile and retracted photos showing the missing or damaged teeth.
• A note on which teeth are missing, when they were lost, and why.
• Medical history including diabetes, osteoporosis, blood thinners, bisphosphonate use, and smoking status.
• Any previous quotes from New Zealand dentists for comparison.

The quote returned is preliminary until in-person CBCT and examination, but clear records let Picasso identify obvious limits, grafting requirements, or alternative treatment paths before you commit to flights.

Aftercare when you return to New Zealand

The first 48 hours after implant placement matter most. Picasso provides written post-op instructions covering bleeding, swelling, soft diet, sleeping position, and prescribed medication. Mild swelling and discomfort for 3 to 5 days is normal.

Once you return to New Zealand:

• Maintain meticulous hygiene around the implant site.
• Use the recommended interdental cleaning tools.
• Avoid smoking, which significantly increases implant failure risk during healing.
• Schedule a check with your New Zealand dentist 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.
• Report any persistent pain, swelling, looseness, or unusual taste to Picasso and your local dentist.

After final crown delivery, routine hygiene every 6 months with your New Zealand dentist is the standard maintenance protocol. Picasso remains available for warranty issues and prosthetic problems via [email protected].

Next step

Send an OPG if you have one, plus photos showing the missing teeth and any X-rays from previous quotes. Picasso will return a written NZD plan showing implant brand options, expected trips, grafting requirements, and total cost before you book any flights.

Request a free NZD implant quote · See full pricing · Read about implant brands · Compare with All-on-4

• Dental implant cost: New Zealand vs Vietnam
• Single tooth implant in Vietnam for New Zealand patients
• Dental implant pain — what to expect before, during, and after surgery
• Dental implant recovery — what New Zealand patients need to know
• Dental implant timeline — how long does treatment take for NZ patients?

About this page

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Tran Thanh Phong

Head of Implantology, Picasso Dental Clinic

DDS · 25+ years in practice · 15,000+ implants placed · 1,000+ All-on-4 cases

Clinical focus: Implantology · All-on-4 · Zygomatic implants

Dr. Tran Thanh Phong has practised since 2001 and leads implantology across the Picasso group. He was the first Vietnamese dentist to perform All-on-4 immediate loading (2010), placed over 15,000 implants across his career at roughly 600 per year, and has completed 400+ zygomatic implant cases since 2017. Loma Linda University-trained (2010). Clinical representative for Nobel Biocare in Vietnam since 2007.

Last clinically reviewed

22 May 2026

Published by

Picasso Dental Clinic

Review policy

Every medical procedure page on this site is reviewed by a named Picasso clinician before publication and re-checked when pricing, materials, or protocols change. Source documents are linked at the bottom of each page.