I Was Done With Dentures. Vietnam Gave Me My Life Back

The research rabbit hole

A mate at his footy club mentioned he'd had crowns done overseas. Dave was skeptical but curious, and spent a few weeks going down a research rabbit hole. He compared clinics in Thailand, Mexico, and Vietnam, reading reviews on forums and watching YouTube videos from other Australians who'd made the trip.

Vietnam kept coming up. The prices were significantly lower, the clinics were modern, and Hanoi was a direct flight from Melbourne - under nine hours.

He booked consultations with two Hanoi clinics through SmileJet, uploaded his CBCT scans from his Sunbury dentist, and had detailed treatment plans emailed back to him within 48 hours. Both plans included the full surgical protocol: four implants per arch, angled posterior implants to maximise bone contact, immediate loading with temporary prostheses on the day of surgery, and a return visit four months later for the final hybrid prosthesis.

The all-inclusive quote came to $12,000 AUD.

He booked flights that afternoon.

All on 4 Surgery day in Hanoi

Dave flew into Noi Bai Airport on a Sunday. The clinic organised a car from the airport.

On Monday morning, he was in the surgical chair for initial consultation.

"I won't lie, I was nervous," he says. "I don't care who you are, someone drilling into your jawbone is a big deal."

The surgical team used CBCT imaging and a surgical guide to place eight implants — four in each arch — in positions mapped out in advance. The angled posterior implants were positioned to avoid his sinus cavity and the main nerve running through his lower jaw, both standard considerations for the All-on-4 technique.

4 hours later his surgery was already completed.

5 days later, Dave already had a  a full set of temporary fixed teeth.

"Not dentures. Teeth. Attached to my jaw. I couldn't stop smiling at myself in the hotel mirror."

He spent the next five days eating pho, walking the Old Quarter, and doing absolutely nothing required of him back home. He followed the post-surgical diet protocol — soft foods only, no chewing on hard edges — but for the first time in years he was eating with confidence.

The return trip

Six months later, Dave flew back to Hanoi for the final prosthesis fitting. The permanent hybrid prostheses — laboratory-fabricated, precision-milled — replaced the temporaries. Three fitting appointments over a week confirmed the bite relationship and tooth position before final delivery.

Total treatment cost across both trips: just under $22,000 AUD.

Compared to the $44,000 quote he'd received in Sunbury, Dave had saved approximately $22,000.

"I've already told four blokes from my suburb about it," he says. "Two of them are booked in."

What Dave says now

The fixed prostheses have been in place for eight months. Dave has resumed eating everything he'd given up. He's back to steak on Sundays, apples in his lunch, and beers at the football without worrying his teeth will move when he laughs.

He's not naive about the trade-offs. He knows implants carry a 5-10% failure risk. He knows he'll need regular professional maintenance. He knows the treatment required real surgical procedures and months of patience, not a quick fix. His Sunbury dentist now handles his ongoing care and monitoring.

"I'm not saying it's for everyone," Dave says. "You've got to do your research, choose your clinic carefully, and understand you're having surgery overseas. That's real. But for me? Best decision I ever made."

He pauses.

"Well. Second best. First best was marrying my wife. But she'd kill me if I said teeth beat her."