Should I get a check-up and clean before veneers or implants?

Yes, and this is strongly advised. Active gum inflammation or periodontal pockets should be controlled before any aesthetic or surgical work begins. Veneers bonded to inflamed gum margins have worse long-term outcomes. Implants placed into infected sites have higher failure rates.

Can Picasso be my regular dentist from the UK?

Picasso is focused on treatment trips. For ongoing six-month recall, a local UK dentist is far more practical. Picasso records should be shared with your UK dentist so they can continue your care at home.

How much is a hygienist clean in the UK?

NHS Band 1 includes a check-up and simple cleaning at GBP 26.80 in England (2025/26). Private hygienist appointments typically cost GBP 73–GBP 121 per visit at UK practices. Vietnam cleaning is cheaper per session, but airfare makes standalone trips uneconomical.

Do you take OPG X-rays at the check-up?

Yes. Picasso has OPG panoramic X-ray (GBP 9) and Conebeam CT (GBP 17) on site. Upload existing films via /free-quote/ to avoid duplicate radiation. If you arrive without recent films for implant or surgical planning, a new OPG is taken on your first clinic day.

What happens if periodontitis is found?

Periodontal disease must be treated or stabilised before cosmetic or surgical work proceeds. Gum treatment at Picasso ranges from GBP 9 per tooth for pocket treatment to GBP 87 per jaw. This is not a delay for its own sake — placing veneers or implants into infected gums is clinical negligence.

Can my UK dentist continue care after a Vietnam check-up?

Yes. Bring home your Picasso clinical notes, X-rays, and periodontal chart. Your UK dentist can use this as the basis for your ongoing recall. Most UK dentists are accustomed to working with overseas records.

Dental checkup cleaning

Dental check-up and cleaning from GBP 6 | Picasso Dental Vietnam

Professional dental check-ups and cleaning at Picasso Dental Clinic Vietnam - GBP prices, when bundled hygiene makes sense for UK visitors, and honest framing of what a check-up achieves.

A dental check-up at Picasso Dental Clinic costs GBP 6 and a professional scale and polish costs GBP 9–GBP 17 depending on tartar load - but these are almost never worth a standalone flight from the UK and deliver the most value when combined with implants, veneers, crowns, or surgical treatment on the same visit.

A dental check-up at Picasso Dental Clinic costs GBP 6. A professional scale and polish costs GBP 9–GBP 17. These are the foundation of every treatment trip to Picasso, not the destination. For UK patients, the honest answer is: a standalone flight from the UK for a check-up and clean is not cost-effective. The check-up makes sense as the first appointment in a larger treatment visit.

This page explains what a Picasso check-up covers, when it matters most in a treatment plan, what Picasso can find that changes your treatment options, and why your ongoing recall relationship should stay with a UK dentist.

GBP price table — examination and hygiene

Service	GBP
General examination and consultation	GBP 6
Orthodontic consultation	GBP 6
Examination + orthodontic planning (mould, photos, X-ray)	GBP 29
Panoramic X-ray (OPG)	GBP 9
Cephalometric X-ray	GBP 9
Conebeam CT (3D)	GBP 17
iTero digital scan	GBP 58
Scale and polish — mild tartar	GBP 9
Scale and polish — moderate tartar	GBP 12
Scale and polish — heavy tartar	GBP 14 – GBP 17
Scale under local anaesthetic	GBP 58
Fluoride application (7 or more teeth)	GBP 17

Prices correct as at May 2026.

UK comparison: NHS Band 1 (check-up plus simple cleaning) costs GBP 26.80 in England (2025/26). Private hygienist visits cost GBP 73–GBP 121. The Picasso price per session is lower, but only matters once you are already in Vietnam for other treatment.

What a Picasso check-up covers

Clinical examination:

Soft tissue review — lips, cheeks, tongue, floor of mouth, throat
Gum assessment — pocket depth measured where indicated; bleeding on probing recorded
Tooth-by-tooth examination — decay, fractures, worn surfaces, existing restorations
Occlusal assessment — bite, jaw movement, signs of bruxism
Existing crown or veneer review — fit, margins, shade, signs of failure
Implant review if applicable — crown mobility, peri-implant tissue

Imaging (if not provided in advance):

OPG panoramic X-ray for surgical or implant planning
Periapical X-rays for specific teeth with suspected problems
CBCT where bone volume assessment is needed for implants

Hygiene:

Ultrasonic scaling — removes calculus and hard deposit
Hand scaling for tight contacts
Polishing — removes surface stain
Oral hygiene instruction personalised to your technique

When the check-up changes the plan

Patients arrive with a plan based on their own assessment of what needs doing. The clinical examination sometimes finds:

Finding	Implication for treatment
Active periodontal disease (deep pockets, bone loss)	Gum treatment needed before veneers or implants — timeline extends
Untreated decay on a tooth planned for a veneer	Root canal and crown may be more appropriate than a veneer
Cracked tooth not visible on OPG	Root canal or crown added to plan
Insufficient bone volume on CBCT	Bone graft or alternative implant design added
Bite discrepancy affecting planned crowns	Occlusal adjustment or night guard needed before restorations
Signs of bruxism	Night guard prescribed; implant case discussed with caution

These findings are communicated before treatment starts. The plan is adjusted with your agreement — you are not presented with new charges after surgery begins.

Periodontal (gum) treatment at Picasso

If the check-up reveals gum disease, treatment options are:

Gum condition	Treatment	GBP
Gingivitis (reversible inflammation)	Scale and polish + oral hygiene instruction	GBP 9 – GBP 17
Early periodontitis (shallow pockets 4–5mm)	Periodontal pocket treatment per tooth	GBP 9 per tooth
Moderate periodontitis (5–6mm pockets)	Treatment per quadrant	GBP 43 per quadrant
Advanced periodontitis (6mm+ pockets)	Treatment per jaw or flap surgery	GBP 87 per jaw
Gum grafting (recession repair)	Autograft or Alloderm	GBP 145 – GBP 290

Periodontal stabilisation before cosmetic or implant work is not optional. It is the standard of care. We will not place veneers on diseased gums and we will not place implants into sites with active infection.

When a check-up is valuable on a treatment trip

Visit context	Value of adding check-up
First visit before any treatment begins	Essential — baseline clinical record before any work
Before veneer preparation	High — confirms gum health and shade stability
Implant workup week	High — CBCT plus gum assessment confirms site readiness
Between root canal and crown placement	Moderate — confirms healing before next stage
Standalone from London, nothing else planned	Low — flight cost makes it uneconomical
Visiting family in Vietnam with no other plans	Moderate — inexpensive while already in-country

Why your ongoing recall should be with a UK dentist

Picasso is a treatment-trip clinic. Routine six-month recall requires proximity. A UK dentist is the right relationship for:

Six-month examinations and hygiene visits
Ongoing monitoring of treated teeth (implants, crowns, veneers)
Urgent assessment of pain or trauma
NHS-eligible treatment your UK dentist can provide

The practical reason: if something changes between trips to Vietnam — a crown loosens, a veneer chips, a gum problem develops — your UK dentist deals with it. They cannot help you effectively without your Picasso records. Share them every time you return.

Oral cancer screening

Every Picasso check-up includes visual inspection of the oral mucosa — lips, cheeks, tongue, gum, and throat. This is a basic screen, not a definitive diagnostic. If a lesion is noted that requires further assessment, you are referred to an oral medicine specialist. Patients over 40 and those who smoke or consume significant alcohol are at higher risk and should have an annual oral cancer check with their UK dentist as well.

Connecting check-up findings to treatment planning

The most useful output of a first check-up at Picasso is the written clinical record:

Periodontal chart
Decay findings
X-rays (OPG, periapicals, CBCT where taken)
Existing restoration assessment
Treatment plan update based on findings

This record travels home with you and becomes the basis for the UK dentist’s ongoing management. It also allows Picasso to plan the next visit in detail, since the clinical baseline is already established.

Who should prioritise a UK dental visit first

If any of the following apply, see a UK dentist before travelling to Picasso:

Dental pain or infection that cannot wait for a planned trip
Suspected abscess or swelling (see a UK dentist or A&E same day)
Broken tooth causing soft tissue damage
Crown or veneer that has come off and left a sharp edge

Dental emergencies requiring same-week action should not involve international travel. Picasso handles urgent cases within Vietnam, but flying from the UK for an acute emergency is not appropriate.

UK continuity record — what to take home

After your check-up and any treatment:

OPG or CBCT films (digital copies available on request)
Periodontal chart
Treatment notes from each appointment
Material specifications for any crowns, veneers, or implants placed
Picasso coordinator contact for UK dentist queries

Full UK continuity protocol at /follow-up-care-uk/.

Next step

If you are planning a treatment trip to Picasso, a check-up and clean on day 1 of the trip is included in the standard workflow. Upload your OPG or dental photographs at Free GBP quote and note when you last had a professional clean. The coordinator will confirm whether the check-up reveals anything that may affect your treatment timeline.

Veneers — check-up confirms gum health before prep
Dental implants — CBCT at check-up confirms bone volume
Is it safe? — sterilisation and clinical standards
Follow-up care UK — continuing care after your trip
UK guide: how it works