Dental implant brands at Picasso — Straumann, Nobel Biocare, Osstem, Neodent

When New Zealand patients compare dental implant quotes, the focus often falls on price per unit. That is a reasonable starting point, but the more important question for a patient who lives in New Zealand and is having treatment in Vietnam is: can my New Zealand dentist work on this implant in five years? The answer depends almost entirely on brand. This page explains the implant systems Picasso uses, what each offers clinically, and what they cost in NZD.

Why implant brand is a clinical decision, not a marketing detail

An implant is not a self-contained treatment. It is the foundation for ongoing prosthetic care — crown replacements, abutment adjustments, and potentially full prosthetic rebuilds over a patient’s lifetime. When those events occur, the treating dentist needs to order components that fit the implant fixture in your jaw. That requires knowing the exact brand and system.

Named global brands — Straumann, Nobel Biocare, Neodent, Osstem, ETK, SIC — have published clinical trial data across thousands of patients, global distribution networks for spare parts, abutments available through New Zealand dental laboratories, and manufacturer technical support that transfers to any treating clinician worldwide. If a New Zealand dentist encounters one of these implants with proper documentation, they can identify the connection type, order the correct abutment driver, and service the restoration.

Unknown or unbranded implants present a different situation. Without a brand name, your NZ dentist cannot determine the implant’s connection geometry, cannot order compatible prosthetic components, and cannot access manufacturer support or documentation. Most experienced NZ practitioners will decline to work on unidentified implants — not as a matter of preference, but because fitting the wrong abutment to an implant connection can damage the implant or create a restoration that fails. This is not an overseas-specific problem; it applies to any unidentified implant placed anywhere.

The conclusion is straightforward: insist on a named brand, get it in writing before your procedure, and collect the implant documentation before you return home.

Brands Picasso uses — full tier breakdown

Picasso Dental Clinic places seven implant systems. All are named brands with verifiable clinical literature. At May 2026 exchange rates (1 NZD = 15,000 VND):

NZ comparison: a single implant in New Zealand typically costs NZD 6,000–7,000 all-inclusive, or NZD 3,000–4,000 for the fixture alone at many practices. Exchange rates fluctuate; confirm the rate in your written quote at time of booking.

Straumann and Straumann BLX

Straumann is a Swiss company founded in 1954, originally producing precision instruments for osteosynthesis research. It entered implant dentistry in the 1970s and has placed more than 10 million implants globally. Its SLActive surface — a chemically modified titanium surface — has the largest body of peer-reviewed clinical research of any implant surface currently available. No specific osseointegration rate is stated here because published rates vary by patient population, bone quality, and protocol; the relevant point is the research depth, which gives treating dentists confidence in the system’s behaviour across diverse cases.

Straumann implants use an internal connection and are widely stocked by New Zealand dental labs and implant component suppliers. NZ dentists who work with implants routinely encounter Straumann and can identify the system from documentation or from the implant’s appearance on X-ray.

Straumann BLX is a bone-level tapered design engineered specifically for immediate loading protocols — cases where a prosthetic restoration must be delivered on the day of implant placement. The tapered body achieves high primary stability in post-extraction sockets and compromised bone, where a straight implant body may not engage the bone walls as securely. BLX is the system Dr. Tran Thanh Phong uses for All-on-4 immediate loading cases. It is priced higher than standard Straumann because it is a more specialised implant for more technically demanding clinical scenarios. More on the All-on-4 procedure is at /all-on-4/.

Nobel Biocare

Nobel Biocare is a Swedish company with origins in the osseointegration research of Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark, who demonstrated in the 1950s and 60s that titanium could form a stable biological bond with bone. Brånemark’s findings, published over subsequent decades, established the scientific foundation for modern implant dentistry. Nobel Biocare commercialised this research and has been a reference brand in implant dentistry for more than 40 years.

Nobel Biocare developed and commercialised the All-on-4 concept with Dr. Paulo Maló — a procedure in which four implants support a complete arch of fixed teeth, with the distal two implants angled to avoid anatomical structures such as the sinus. Nobel Biocare holds patents on the All-on-4 protocol and maintains the most extensive published clinical literature on this technique. For patients specifically considering All-on-4, Nobel Biocare is the brand with the longest-documented track record in that procedure.

Nobel Biocare implants are distributed globally including in New Zealand. Their TiUnite surface — an oxidised titanium surface — is well characterised in clinical literature. Nobel Biocare’s global technical support network means that any treating dentist with internet access can identify a Nobel implant from its lot number and access technical documentation.

Dr. Tran Thanh Phong has served as a Nobel Biocare clinical representative in Vietnam since 2007, which reflects both his surgical volume and his engagement with the company’s training and outcomes research programmes.

Neodent (Straumann Group)

Neodent is a Brazilian implant manufacturer acquired by the Straumann Group in 2015. It was developed to deliver a clinically documented implant system at a lower price point than Straumann’s premium lines — filling the gap between generic implants and premium Swiss systems. It is widely used across Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

Neodent uses a Morse taper connection (also described as a cone connection), which creates a cold-weld-type seal between the implant body and abutment. This connection type is associated with low micro-movement at the implant-abutment interface and good long-term soft tissue outcomes. Its clinical literature is well-established across major implant research publications.

Because Neodent is part of the Straumann Group, its components are distributed through the same networks as Straumann. New Zealand dental labs that stock Straumann components typically have access to Neodent prosthetic components as well. For patients seeking a clinically sound implant at a lower price point than premium Swiss systems, Neodent is a legitimate option with verifiable manufacturer support.

Osstem, ETK, SIC

Osstem is South Korean, founded in 1997, and is one of the highest-volume implant manufacturers in Asia. It is used extensively across South Korean, Vietnamese, and broader Asia-Pacific dental markets. Osstem implants have peer-reviewed literature across a broad range of case types and bone conditions. Their component network in New Zealand is smaller than Straumann or Nobel Biocare but not absent — NZ labs can source Osstem parts, though the process may take longer and requires complete brand documentation from the patient.

ETK (European Implant Technology) is a French implant system distributed across Europe and Asia. It is a documented brand with verifiable clinical literature. Bring detailed documentation if you receive an ETK implant, as your NZ dentist may need to contact the distributor to source components — planning ahead reduces delays if follow-up work is needed.

SIC (SIC Invent) is a Swiss implant system with a clinical record in European and Asian markets. Like ETK, it is a legitimate named brand with published data, though less widely distributed in New Zealand than the premium Swiss systems.

For all three brands, the practical requirement for NZ follow-up is thorough documentation: brand name, model designation, lot number, and abutment specifications. With this information, any implant-experienced NZ dentist can research the system and make an informed decision about whether to service it.

What your NZD quote specifies — reading the brand lines

A properly structured treatment quote from Picasso will include, per implant:

• Brand name (e.g., Straumann, Nobel Biocare, Osstem)
• System or model designation (e.g., BLX, TiUnite, USIII)
• Diameter and length (e.g., 4.1 mm x 10 mm)
• Abutment type and material
• Crown material (zirconia, PFM, PMMA for temporaries)
• Price per component in both VND and NZD

If a quote you receive from any clinic does not specify brand and model, ask for it before accepting the quote. A quote that says “titanium implant” with no further specification is not an adequate treatment plan. See /pricing/ for guidance on reading a full treatment estimate.

What you receive for NZ follow-up

Before leaving Picasso after implant treatment, collect the following:

• Implant passport or manufacturer label showing brand, lot number, and model
• Abutment specification (connection type, diameter, height)
• Crown material and shade specification
• Surgeon’s signed treatment summary with dates and tooth positions
• Radiographs taken post-placement (peri-apical X-ray confirming seating)
• Picasso warranty documentation — /warranty/

Without this documentation, a New Zealand dentist working on your implant years later is operating without the information they need. With it, they can order compatible components, understand the original treatment, and provide competent follow-up care.

Implant brand comparison shopping traps

These patterns appear in quotes from clinics across multiple countries. Be alert to:

“Titanium implant” with no brand name. Titanium is the material; brand is the manufacturer. Every dental implant placed in the last 40 years is titanium. A quote that does not name the brand is withholding information you need.

“Korean implant,” “Swiss implant,” or “European implant” without naming the manufacturer. Country of origin is not a brand. Osstem and Dentium are both South Korean; Straumann and SIC are both Swiss. The name matters, not the country.

Brand substituted on the day of surgery. This occurs when a quote specifies a premium brand but a different brand is placed during surgery, usually without informing the patient. To prevent this, observe the implant packaging label when it is opened at chairside. Ask your surgeon to confirm the brand and lot number before placement begins, and request the packaging labels for your records.

Ultra-low per-implant prices with no brand itemised. Generic or unbranded implants can be purchased at very low cost. A quote that is significantly below even the Osstem price point at a given clinic is worth questioning — ask specifically what brand and lot number will appear on your implant passport.

Missing abutment or crown costs. The implant fixture is only one component of the total cost. Quotes that show only the fixture price without abutment and crown costs understate the total. Request a complete line-item breakdown before agreeing to treatment.

Matching brand tier to clinical need — the surgeon’s logic

Brand selection at Picasso is a clinical decision made by the treating surgeon. The factors that influence it include:

Bone quality and volume. Compromised or thin bone — common in patients who have been missing teeth for years — requires an implant designed for that situation. Straumann BLX’s tapered design is engineered for post-extraction and limited-bone scenarios. Standard Osstem or Neodent fixtures are appropriate for patients with adequate bone volume and density.

Immediate versus delayed loading. All-on-4 and immediate loading protocols require high primary stability at the time of placement. BLX and specific Nobel Biocare configurations are designed for this. Delayed-loading cases — where the implant heals over several months before a crown is attached — have more flexibility in brand selection.

Patient’s NZ follow-up dentist’s familiarity. If a patient’s NZ dentist has confirmed they work with a specific implant system, selecting that system at Picasso reduces friction at the follow-up stage. Mention your NZ dentist’s preferred brand in your quote request.

Budget within clinical equivalence. The clinical team will recommend the system best suited to the case, and will present options across price tiers where clinically equivalent alternatives exist. Discuss this explicitly during your treatment planning consultation — the goal is the right implant for your bone and your long-term follow-up situation, at a price that makes the trip worthwhile.

For All-on-4 and complex full-arch cases, brand selection is discussed in more detail at /all-on-4/. For general implant information, see /dental-implants/.

Next step

Request a free NZD quote at /free-quote/. Include your OPG or CBCT if you have one — it allows the clinical team to confirm which implant system is appropriate for your bone situation before you commit to travel. Related pages: /safety/sterilisation-standards/, /safety/honest-risks/, /warranty/.

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

24 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.