Patient stories
Vanessa from Wellington — 8 Lisi veneers, refined front-tooth makeover
Real patient story — a 40s Wellington designer travels to Picasso Dental Clinic for 8 Lisi veneers at the May 2026 NZD price. NZD 6,400 clinical cost.
Vanessa, 44, a Wellington designer, travelled to Picasso Dental Clinic in Hanoi for 8 Lisi veneers across her upper front teeth — NZD 6,400 total clinical cost (May 2026 Picasso price list, 1 NZD = 15,000 VND), a 10-day single trip with design finalised during the Portrait Sitting step on day 2.
Real patient story, shared with permission. This patient has consented to Picasso Dental Clinic publishing their experience to help other New Zealand patients. Treatment, material, NZD price, and timeline are accurate to the case archive. Reviewed by Dr. Emily Nguyen, Founding Clinical Director.
Vanessa is in her mid-40s, a Wellington designer who spends her working life judging proportion, finish, and the way light falls on a surface. She had grown self-conscious about her upper front teeth: a couple were worn flat at the edges, two carried old bonding that had dulled and picked up stain, and the line was uneven enough that she noticed it in every photograph. As someone trained to see detail, she found her own smile was the one thing she could not quite correct. A Wellington private clinic had quoted her NZD 16,000 to 20,000 for eight high-end veneers — a figure she could justify but did not love.
She sent us a set of close-up smile photos one weekend. We returned a written, itemised NZD quote within 24 hours: 8 Lisi veneers at NZD 800 per tooth = NZD 6,400 (May 2026 Picasso price list, 1 NZD = 15,000 VND), with a 7-year warranty.
What she wanted to get right before booking
Vanessa’s brief was unusually specific, which she put down to the job. In her words from the post-trip survey: “I did not want a Hollywood block of identical white tiles. I wanted teeth that looked like mine on a very good day — the same character, just cleaned up and made even.”
The pre-trip conversation focused on three things:
- Material: Lisi, a high-strength lithium disilicate. We explained it was chosen for colour stability and the way the edges catch light, which suited her wish for a translucent, natural finish rather than a flat opaque white.
- Preparation: conservative enamel reduction, with the worn and previously-bonded teeth needing the most attention. We sent the Turkey teeth explained page so she could see why over-aggressive crown-prep on healthy teeth is the wrong approach.
- Control over the design: she would sign off shade, length, edge shape, and midline at the Portrait Sitting before anything permanent was made.
She booked her flights about a month out.
The 10-day trip
| Day | What happened |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | WLG to HAN via Singapore. Late-evening arrival, hotel check-in near the Hanoi Old Quarter branch. |
| Day 2 | Consultation 09:30. Photographs, OPG, iTero digital scan. Portrait Sitting design session in the afternoon — shade-matching against her existing lower teeth, edge shape, length, and how translucent the incisal edges should be. |
| Day 3 | Preparation appointment, 8 upper front teeth. Temporaries fitted to the agreed design. |
| Days 4–8 | Temporaries phase. We asked her to live with them, eat normally, and flag anything off. She came in on day 6 to nudge the two central edges very slightly squarer. |
| Day 9 | Final fit. Each Lisi veneer bonded individually, bite checked and refined, photographs taken. |
| Day 10 | Short review and polish in the morning, then fly home WLG via Singapore. |
The temporaries phase mattered most to her. “Being able to walk around for a few days in a draft version, photograph it, and then change the edges before they were locked in — that is exactly how I work, so it made complete sense to me.”
What it cost end-to-end
| Line item | NZD |
|---|---|
| 8 Lisi veneers (clinical) | 6,400 |
| Consultation + OPG + iTero | included |
| Return flight Wellington to Hanoi | 2,300 |
| Hotel — 10 nights, mid-range | 1,050 |
| Food and local transport | 600 |
| Total | 10,350 |
Against the NZ benchmark of NZD 16,000 to 20,000 for eight veneers, the gross saving was NZD 9,600 to 13,600, and the net saving after travel and stay was roughly NZD 5,650 to 9,650.
She combined the trip with a long-planned break, so it cost her only a few days of leave.
The thing she didn’t expect
In her words: “I assumed the colour would look obviously brighter than my lower teeth and I was braced to dislike that. The opposite happened — because the shade was matched against my own lowers, in normal daylight you genuinely cannot tell where the work stops. What surprised me was the gum line. For the first two days after the final fit my gums were a little tender where the edges sit, and I panicked slightly. The dentist had flagged it as normal settling and it eased completely within about 48 hours.”
We note this kind of detail in our follow-up so future patients are not caught off guard.
What aftercare looked like back in Wellington
Vanessa had booked a check with her own NZ dentist before she flew, scheduled for about a month after returning. Her dentist reviewed the bite and the margins, was happy with the finish, and we received a copy of the notes for her file. She has had one routine clean since, with no issues, and a 12-month review is on her calendar.
Vanessa’s three pieces of advice
From her survey response:
- “Come with visual references, but also references of what you do NOT want. Showing them three smiles I disliked told them more than the ones I liked.”
- “Trust the temporaries stage and actually use it. Eat, talk, take photos in different light. That is your chance to change things, and it is free.”
- “Match the shade to your lower teeth, not to a brochure. A natural, slightly understated result has aged far better than the bright veneers some of my friends got.”
See also
- Veneers pillar — the protocol, materials, and NZD pricing.
- Veneer care tips — what Vanessa was told for home maintenance.
- How long do veneers last — longevity by material.
- Wellington to Vietnam dental travel page — local benchmark and route logistics.
Request your own free NZD veneer quote
About this page
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Emily Nguyen
Founding Clinical Director, Picasso Dental Clinic
DDS · Founder and Clinical Director, Picasso Dental Clinic group
Clinical focus: Cosmetic dentistry · Veneers · Smile design
Dr. Emily Nguyen founded Picasso Dental Clinic in 2013 (originally Serenity International Dental Clinic) and led its 2023 rebrand. She sets clinical standards across the group's six branches in Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Lat, and personally reviews cosmetic protocols including the Portrait Sitting workflow for veneers and smile makeovers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vanessa a real patient?
Yes. Vanessa is a real Picasso Dental Clinic patient who has given written permission for us to share their experience with other New Zealand patients considering treatment. Treatment, material/brand, NZD price, and timeline are accurate to the case archive.
What did the veneers cost in NZD?
8 Lisi veneers at NZD 800 per tooth = NZD 6,400 total clinical cost (May 2026 Picasso price list, 1 NZD = 15,000 VND). This excludes flights, accommodation, and food.
Why choose Lisi over a cheaper veneer material?
Lisi is a high-strength lithium disilicate ceramic chosen for colour stability and how it handles light at the edges, which suited a patient who wanted a precise, natural finish rather than a uniform bright-white look. The material was matched to the case, not upsold.
What warranty applies to Lisi veneers?
7-year warranty on Lisi veneers from Picasso, covering fracture or debonding not caused by trauma or untreated grinding. Manufacturer warranty applies in parallel. See the full /warranty/ page for tier-by-tier terms.