Dentures
Dentures in Vietnam for New Zealand patients
Conventional and implant-supported dentures at Picasso Dental Clinic in Vietnam — indicative NZD ranges, NZ benchmarks, fabrication timeline, and when to fly for Kiwi patients.
As of May 2026 (indicative), Picasso Dental Clinic in Vietnam offers conventional full dentures from approximately NZD 800–1,500 per arch and implant-overdentures from approximately NZD 4,334 per arch, compared with NZ benchmarks of NZD 1,800–3,500 per arch for conventional and NZD 8,000–15,000 per arch for implant-retained options; an accurate written quote requires clinical examination, panoramic X-ray, and impressions.
Dentures remain the most common full-arch tooth replacement worldwide because they require no surgery and can be made at relatively low cost. But removable dentures and implant-retained dentures are not the same thing, and the economics of flying from New Zealand to Vietnam look different depending on which type you need.
For a single conventional partial denture, the saving after flights may be small. For a bilateral implant-overdenture — or dentures combined with other planned treatment — the case for travelling to Picasso Dental Clinic is considerably stronger. This page sets out the clinical options, our indicative NZD pricing, honest NZ benchmarks, and the practical questions to ask before you book.
Types of dentures we provide
We offer five categories of removable or implant-retained tooth replacement:
Full conventional denture. Replaces all teeth in an arch when no natural teeth remain. Made from hard acrylic or a flexible base material. The upper denture usually achieves suction from the palate. The lower denture is harder to stabilise because the tongue and floor of the mouth move it.
Partial denture. Replaces some missing teeth when healthy natural teeth remain to provide support. May use acrylic, a flexible base, a titanium or cobalt-chrome framework, or clasps onto adjacent teeth. Design depends on the number of missing teeth, bite forces, and whether future extractions are likely.
Immediate denture. Fitted on the same day as tooth extraction. Prevents a toothless period but will loosen significantly as gums and bone remodel over the following 3–6 months. A reline is commonly needed after healing — factor this into your travel and aftercare plan.
Implant-overdenture. A conventional denture base that snaps onto 2–4 dental implants for retention. Still removed daily for cleaning. Far more stable than a conventional denture — particularly on the lower arch — and slows the bone resorption that conventional dentures accelerate. Requires implant surgery on a separate trip before the denture can be fabricated.
Implant-supported fixed bridge (All-on-4 type). A permanently fixed full-arch bridge screwed to four implants. Not removable by the patient. See All-on-4 for the full comparison. This is listed here for clarity — if you want fixed teeth rather than a removable prosthetic, All-on-4 is the treatment page to read next.
Our indicative denture price ranges — May 2026
The prices below are indicative ranges based on the Vietnam private dental market at JCI-standard facilities, converted at approximately 1 NZD = 15,000 VND. These are not a quote. An accurate price for your case requires clinical examination, a panoramic X-ray (OPG), and impressions to assess gum and bone condition. Contact us for a written estimate.
| Denture type | Picasso indicative range (May 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full conventional denture | NZD 800–1,500 per arch | Hard acrylic or flexible base |
| Partial denture | NZD 400–800 per arch | Acrylic, flexible, or framework design |
| Immediate denture | NZD 800–1,500 per arch | Reline likely after 3–6 months as gums heal |
| Implant-overdenture (2 Osstem implants + denture base) | approx. NZD 4,334 per arch | Implants NZD 1,667 × 2 + denture ~NZD 1,000; varies by implant count and brand |
| Implant-overdenture (4 Osstem implants + denture base) | approx. NZD 5,668 per arch | Greater stability; more commonly lower arch |
Implant-overdenture prices above use the May 2026 Osstem implant price of NZD 1,667 per fixture (25,000,000 VND at 15,000 VND/NZD). Nobel Biocare or Straumann implants cost more — request a written breakdown specifying brand, fixture count, and denture base material before making any decision.
See full pricing for our complete NZD treatment list.
For the full New Zealand-vs-Vietnam breakdown with city-by-city benchmarks, see our dentures cost guide.
New Zealand vs Vietnam — the economics
The comparison changes significantly depending on whether you are considering conventional dentures or implant-retained options.
| Treatment | NZ indicative benchmark (2026) | Picasso indicative range (May 2026) | Indicative saving before flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full conventional denture, 1 arch | NZD 1,800–3,500 | NZD 800–1,500 | NZD 300–2,700 |
| Full conventional denture, both arches | NZD 3,600–7,000 | NZD 1,600–3,000 | NZD 600–5,400 |
| Partial denture, 1 arch | NZD 800–2,000 | NZD 400–800 | NZD 0–1,600 |
| Implant-overdenture (2 implants), 1 arch | NZD 8,000–15,000 | approx. NZD 4,334 | approx. NZD 3,666–10,666 |
| Implant-overdenture (2 implants), both arches | NZD 16,000–30,000 | approx. NZD 8,668 | approx. NZD 7,332–21,332 |
For conventional dentures alone — particularly a single partial denture — the saving before return flights from New Zealand can be modest. The trip makes better financial sense when both arches are treated, when dentures are combined with other planned work (implants, crowns, extractions), or when the case involves implant-retained options where the NZ price difference is larger.
For implant-overdentures, the saving is substantial enough to justify careful planning even as a standalone case.
All NZ benchmarks are planning figures sourced from indicative private fee ranges. Your NZ dentist’s written quote is the only accurate local comparison.
Conventional dentures vs implant-overdentures
The table below covers the core clinical differences. Most patients weighing this decision are concerned with stability, bone health, and long-term cost.
| Feature | Conventional denture | Implant-overdenture |
|---|---|---|
| Retention | Suction, adhesive, or clasps — can shift while eating or speaking | Clips onto implants — does not shift |
| Bone preservation | Bone resorption continues and accelerates under a loose denture | Implants stimulate bone and slow resorption |
| Eating ability | Soft-moderate foods; hard or sticky foods are limited | Significantly better; more similar to natural teeth |
| Maintenance | Remove and clean daily; reline every 2–3 years | Remove and clean daily; implant hygiene required; less frequent reline |
| Surgery required | No | Yes — implants placed on a separate trip |
| Cost | Lower initial cost | Higher initial cost; lower long-term cost if relines/remakes are avoided |
| Longevity | 5–10 years before replacement typically needed | Denture base 5–10 years; implants can last decades |
| Best for | Limited budget, medical contraindication to surgery, older patients with good palate suction | Active patients, lower arch instability, patients who want better function long-term |
The lower arch matters most. A well-made upper full denture often achieves adequate suction. A lower full denture routinely moves because the tongue undermines it. For lower arch cases, two implants under an overdenture make a clinically significant difference to daily comfort.
When to choose All-on-4 over a denture
All-on-4 is permanently fixed — the bridge does not come out between dental appointments. It feels considerably more like natural teeth, does not require removal for cleaning, and eliminates the palatal coverage that some patients find intrusive with upper conventional dentures.
For patients choosing between an implant-overdenture and All-on-4:
| Implant-overdenture | All-on-4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Removable | Yes — removed for cleaning | No — fixed to implants |
| Palate covered | Yes (upper arch) | No — open palate design |
| Taste and temperature sensation | Reduced | Better |
| Bone preservation | Good — implants slow resorption | Good — implants slow resorption |
| Surgery required | 2–4 implants | 4 implants |
| Picasso indicative price (1 arch) | approx. NZD 4,334+ | NZD 8,333–14,667 |
| NZ indicative benchmark (1 arch) | NZD 8,000–15,000 | NZD 25,000–45,000 |
All-on-4 at Picasso uses Nobel Biocare, Straumann, ETK, Neodent, or Osstem implants depending on bone quality and patient preference. Dr. Tran Thanh Phong, our Head of Implantology, leads all full-arch implant surgery. He has placed over 15,000 implants and has treated more than 1,000 All-on-4 patients since introducing immediate-loading All-on-4 to Vietnam in 2010.
Read All-on-4 dental implants in Vietnam for the complete clinical and pricing comparison.
The denture fabrication process
A properly made denture requires multiple clinical appointments. Patients travelling from New Zealand should allow time for each stage rather than collecting a finished denture on the morning of their departure flight.
| Step | What happens | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Clinical assessment | Examination, gum and bone assessment, OPG X-ray, bite records, tooth shade selection | Confirms denture type, arch, material, and whether extractions or implants are needed first |
| 2. Impressions | Precise moulds of upper and/or lower gum ridges | The foundation of fit — a poor impression produces a poor-fitting denture |
| 3. Bite registration | Records how upper and lower jaws meet when closed | Determines vertical height and jaw position in the final prosthetic |
| 4. Try-in (wax stage) | Teeth set in wax at the correct height and angle for patient review | Opportunity to check tooth position, smile line, lip support, speech, and bite before final processing |
| 5. Final processing | Wax replaced by acrylic or flexible base material in the laboratory | Converts the approved try-in into the final prosthetic |
| 6. Fit and initial adjustment | Denture seated, pressure points identified and relieved | First in-mouth check of suction, stability, bite, and comfort |
| 7. Follow-up adjustments | Sore spots refined over 1–2 further visits | Normal — no denture is perfect from the first seating |
Expect at least 2–3 clinical visits for a well-made denture. A denture completed in a single appointment without a wax try-in carries a meaningful risk of poor aesthetics, wrong bite, or both.
How long does denture fabrication take?
Conventional full or partial denture: 5–10 days in Vietnam is a realistic allowance. This covers the impression appointment, laboratory fabrication (typically 3–5 working days), try-in, final processing, fit, and at least one adjustment visit. More complex cases or immediate dentures combined with extractions may need the full 10 days.
Implant-overdenture: Two separate trips are required.
- Trip 1: Implant surgery (and extractions if needed). Healing time for osseointegration is 3–6 months. A temporary denture can be worn during this period.
- Trip 2 (3–6 months later): Denture impressions, try-in, and final fitting to the healed implants. Allow 5–7 days.
This two-trip structure is not unique to us — it reflects osseointegration biology. Any clinic offering an implant-overdenture on a single short trip is skipping the healing period, which significantly increases failure risk.
The typical Kiwi denture timeline
Conventional denture — single trip:
| When | Activity |
|---|---|
| Before travel | Send photos, OPG if available, description of missing teeth, any NZ quote. Receive written indicative plan. |
| Day 1 | Clinical assessment, OPG if not provided, impressions |
| Days 2–4 | Laboratory fabrication (not clinic days for patient) |
| Day 5 | Wax try-in — review tooth position, bite, aesthetics |
| Days 6–7 | Final processing; fit and initial adjustment appointment |
| Days 8–10 | Follow-up adjustment; collect final records |
| After return | Local NZ review if sore spots persist; reline if gums remodel post-extraction |
Implant-overdenture — two trips:
| Trip | Duration | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Trip 1 | 5–7 days | Consultation, CBCT, implant surgery, temporary prosthetic |
| Between trips | 3–6 months at home | Osseointegration and gum healing |
| Trip 2 | 5–7 days | Implant impressions, overdenture try-in, fit, adjustment, final records |
When dentures are the wrong answer
Dentures — conventional or implant-retained — are not the right solution in every case:
- Patients with only a few failing teeth who could be better served by a targeted implant and crown or a fixed bridge. Extracting salvageable teeth to make a denture is not conservative treatment.
- Patients with uncontrolled bone disease, active severe gum disease, or uncontrolled diabetes — gum and bone conditions must be stable before a prosthetic is made to a precise fit. A fit taken during active disease produces a denture that is loose by the time of delivery.
- Patients who cannot manage removal and cleaning — conventional dentures and implant-overdentures must be removed daily for thorough cleaning. Patients with dexterity limitations or certain cognitive changes may be better served by a fixed solution or different prosthetic design.
- Patients expecting fixed-teeth chewing performance from a removable denture. A conventional denture will never replicate natural teeth. If stability and chewing power are the priority, All-on-4 or another fixed option deserves serious consideration before committing to a removable prosthetic.
Read our honest risks page for a broader discussion of when dental tourism is and is not the right decision.
Stay in New Zealand if…
- You need one urgent denture repair or reline — the unit cost is small and the saving will not cover a return flight.
- You need a single partial denture under NZD 1,000 in NZ — the saving is unlikely to justify travel.
- You recently had extractions and require repeated in-person adjustments over several months as gums heal.
- You have a complex medical history — active cancer treatment, bisphosphonate therapy, severe systemic illness — that requires close local medical supervision during any dental procedure.
- You require ACC-funded dental work available only through NZ providers.
- You cannot take at least 7–10 days away from work and family for a conventional denture trip, or commit to two trips for an implant-overdenture.
What to send for an indicative quote
Send the following to receive a written indicative NZD plan before you book:
- An OPG (panoramic X-ray) if you have one from the last 12 months — this is the single most useful document for denture planning.
- Clear photos: full smile, upper gum, lower gum, left bite, right bite. Any existing denture photographed outside the mouth.
- A written description of which teeth are missing, which remain, and whether any remaining teeth are loose, painful, or need extraction.
- Any NZ quotes you have already received — these help us provide a line-by-line comparison.
- Your medical history in brief: current medications, diabetes status, smoking, any recent jaw or bone conditions.
Email: [email protected]
We return written indicative NZD plans within 24 hours on weekdays (NZ time). The plan will specify denture type, arch, material, extraction sequencing if relevant, try-in timing, expected trips, reline likelihood, and — where clinically appropriate — whether an implant-retained option would produce a better long-term outcome.
Aftercare when you return to New Zealand
Daily cleaning routine: Remove the denture each night. Brush with a soft denture brush and mild soap or denture cleanser — not toothpaste, which is too abrasive for acrylic. Store in clean water to prevent warping. Clean your gums, tongue, and palate with a soft brush before reinserting.
Do not sleep in a conventional denture unless specifically directed to by our clinical team. Constant wear prevents gum tissue from resting and increases the risk of fungal infection under the base.
Expect initial sore spots. The first 2 weeks of wearing a new denture almost always involves some pressure spots. These can be relieved with a brief adjustment appointment. Do not apply denture adhesive to compensate for a loose denture — this is a sign the fit needs professional assessment, not more adhesive.
Relines: If you had extractions before or during your trip, the underlying bone and gum will remodel over the following 3–6 months. As this happens, your denture may become loose. This is normal biology, not a failure of fabrication. A reline — where the fitting surface of the denture is remade to match the new gum contour — restores fit. This can be done by a local NZ dentist using records from Picasso.
Implant site care (if applicable): Follow the implant aftercare instructions from our surgical team. Keep the implant sites clean, avoid hard and sticky foods during the healing period, and report any persistent swelling, pain, or implant movement to both Picasso and your NZ dentist promptly.
Annual reviews: Bone changes gradually even with implants present, though more slowly. Have a local NZ dentist assess denture fit and implant site hygiene at least once a year.
See aftercare and follow-up care in New Zealand and implant aftercare for detailed guidance.
Next step
Send photos of your mouth, your OPG if available, and any NZ quotes to [email protected]. Ask for a written indicative NZD plan specifying denture type, arch, material, try-in timing, reline expectations, and whether an implant-retained option would serve you better long-term.
Request a free NZD quote · All-on-4 as a permanent fixed alternative · Full pricing · Is dental tourism safe?
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.
Frequently asked questions
What types of dentures does Picasso Dental Clinic provide?
We provide full conventional dentures (all teeth missing), partial dentures (some teeth remaining), immediate dentures (fitted at the time of extraction), implant-overdentures (removable but retained by 2–4 implants for stability), and implant-supported fixed bridges (All-on-4 style, which are not removable). Each type suits different clinical and budget situations.
How much do dentures cost at Picasso Dental Clinic in NZD?
As of May 2026, our indicative ranges are: full conventional denture NZD 800–1,500 per arch; partial denture NZD 400–800 per arch; implant-overdenture (2 Osstem implants plus denture base) approximately NZD 4,334 per arch. These are indicative only — an accurate quote requires clinical examination, panoramic X-ray, and impressions. Contact us for a written estimate before booking flights.
How do Picasso denture prices compare with New Zealand?
Indicative 2026 NZ benchmarks are NZD 1,800–3,500 per arch for a full conventional denture, NZD 800–2,000 for a partial denture, and NZD 8,000–15,000 per arch for an implant-overdenture. For conventional dentures alone the saving after flights may be modest. For implant-overdentures the indicative saving can be NZD 3,666–10,666 per arch before flights — meaningful enough to justify the trip when combined with other planned treatment.
What is the difference between an implant-overdenture and an All-on-4?
An implant-overdenture clips onto 2–4 implants but is still removable for cleaning. All-on-4 is a fixed full-arch bridge screwed to four implants — it does not come out between visits. All-on-4 tends to feel more like natural teeth and preserves bone more effectively, but costs more and requires surgery. Our indicative All-on-4 price is NZD 8,333–14,667 per arch at Picasso, versus NZD 25,000–45,000 in New Zealand. See our All-on-4 page for a full comparison.
How long does denture fabrication take at Picasso?
A conventional full or partial denture typically takes 5–10 days in Vietnam, allowing for impressions, try-in, final processing, and at least one fit-and-adjust appointment. Implant-overdentures require two trips: implants are placed on trip 1, and after 3–6 months of osseointegration the overdenture is fabricated and fitted on trip 2.
Will my denture need adjustment after I return to New Zealand?
Sore-spot adjustments in the first 2 weeks are normal for any new denture. If teeth were extracted at the same visit, gums and bone remodel over 3–6 months, which can cause the denture to loosen. A reline may then be needed — ask us before travel whether your case is likely to need one, so you can budget and arrange local NZ aftercare. Implant-retained dentures are far less affected by this issue.
How long do dentures last?
Conventional dentures typically last 5–10 years before the fit deteriorates as the jawbone remodels after tooth loss. Relines every 2–3 years can extend functional life. Implant-overdentures last considerably longer because implants preserve the bone and the denture base fits to stable implants rather than changing gum contours. Partial dentures depend heavily on the health of remaining teeth.
When are implants a better long-term choice than a conventional denture?
Implants are generally the better long-term choice when the lower arch is involved (conventional lower dentures are hard to stabilise), when the patient is young and will wear the prosthetic for decades, when bone loss from conventional dentures would compound over time, or when eating and speaking comfort are a high priority. Implants slow bone resorption; conventional dentures do not. We recommend requesting a written implant assessment alongside any denture quote.