SmileCare Global Warranty - Picasso Dental Clinic

A warranty matters more when your dentist is in another country. For a UK patient, the practical question is not only “How many years is the warranty?” It is “What happens if I notice a problem after I fly home?”

The SmileCare Global Warranty exists to answer that question. It gives Picasso patients a written pathway for documenting an issue, getting remote review, deciding whether local care is enough, and arranging a return visit when Picasso approves one under the written terms.

This page explains the warranty in plain English. It is not a substitute for the final policy documents you receive after treatment. Your written treatment pack controls the exact terms for your case.

Warranty is a process, not just a number

Many clinics advertise a warranty period. That is useful, but incomplete.

A warranty is only helpful if the process is clear:

• Who do you contact?
• What evidence do they need?
• How quickly should you report the issue?
• Can a UK dentist assess it?
• What happens if outside repair changes the work?
• When does return travel apply?
• What is excluded?

For UK patients, those details matter because you are not returning to a clinic across town. You may be 9000 kilometres away, in a different time zone, with a UK dentist who needs records before touching another clinic’s work.

Published material warranties

Picasso’s current price list includes published warranty terms for many veneer and crown materials.

These are material-line terms from the current reference. They do not mean every clinical issue is automatically covered. A chipped veneer from trauma, a crown damaged by grinding without a prescribed guard, or work altered elsewhere may be handled differently from a material or workmanship issue.

Implant warranty needs careful wording

Implants are different from veneers and crowns because they involve surgery, bone healing, hygiene, bite force, medical history, smoking status, and time.

Picasso stocks several implant systems, including Osstem, ETK, Neodent, SIC, Nobel Biocare, Straumann, and Straumann BLX. The current GBP implant combo prices range from approximately GBP 823 to GBP 1,481 depending on brand (at ~31,000 VND/GBP).

Do not assume a lifetime warranty. Picasso’s implant brand reference specifically states that no brand offered at Picasso has a lifetime warranty. Nobel Biocare and Straumann implant systems carry 10-year crown warranties; Osstem carries a 5-year crown warranty. Confirm your implant system’s exact warranty in the written handover pack.

Your final implant warranty depends on the brand, case type, prosthetic design, aftercare, and written handover pack. For All-on-4, All-on-6, and All-on-X prosthetics, confirm the exact prosthetic warranty before publishing or relying on a claim.

If you are comparing clinics, be suspicious of simple lifetime wording without exclusions. The honest question is not whether a page says “lifetime”. The honest question is what happens if the implant, abutment, crown, or bridge has a problem five years later.

What is usually excluded

Warranty policies vary by treatment, but dental warranties commonly exclude problems caused by factors outside the clinic’s control.

Common exclusions include:

• Trauma, falls, sports injuries, or accidents.
• Grinding or clenching when a prescribed night guard is not worn.
• Poor hygiene or untreated gum disease.
• Smoking or health factors that compromise healing.
• Normal wear after the warranty term expires.
• Elective shade changes after approval.
• Bite changes caused by later dental work elsewhere.
• Work repaired, adjusted, or replaced by another dentist without prior approval, except for emergency care.
• Failure to attend recommended reviews or maintenance.

This is why aftercare matters. A warranty does not replace brushing, flossing, hygiene visits, night guard use, or review appointments.

What to do if you notice a problem in the UK

Start by documenting the issue.

Take clear photos in good light. If something moves, take a short video. Write down when you first noticed the issue, whether there is pain, whether the bite changed, and whether any trauma happened.

Then contact your Picasso coordinator by WhatsApp or email. Include:

• Your full name.
• Treatment date.
• Picasso branch.
• Booking or patient ID if you have it.
• Tooth number if known.
• Photos or video.
• Symptoms.
• Any notes from your UK dentist.

If you have facial swelling, fever, uncontrolled bleeding, difficulty breathing, spreading infection, or severe pain, seek urgent UK care first. Emergency care comes before warranty administration.

Why you should wait before approving outside repair

If the issue is not an emergency, wait for Picasso’s remote review before you approve a local repair.

This protects the warranty process. Once another dentist adjusts, cuts, removes, re-cements, or replaces a restoration, it can become difficult to determine the original cause of the problem.

That does not mean you should ignore pain. It means you should separate emergency stabilisation from elective repair.

For example, a UK dentist may take an X-ray, smooth a sharp edge, prescribe medication when clinically appropriate, or temporarily stabilise a problem. Full replacement or permanent alteration should be discussed with Picasso first when possible.

Read what if something goes wrong for the triage pathway.

The role of your UK dentist

Your UK dentist is still important after overseas treatment.

They can help with:

• Routine hygiene.
• Gum monitoring.
• X-rays.
• Bite checks.
• Early diagnosis of problems.
• Emergency assessment.
• Maintenance of natural teeth around the dental work.

They will be more comfortable helping if you bring proper records.

Before leaving Vietnam, ask for:

• Treatment summary.
• Invoice.
• Implant brand card or fixture documentation where relevant.
• X-rays or CBCT files where available.
• Shade information.
• Material names.
• Warranty documents.
• Aftercare instructions.

The goal is shared care, not secrecy. A good overseas clinic should make your UK dentist’s job easier.

Return-flight support

SmileCare can include return-flight support when Picasso approves a warranty visit under the written policy.

This does not mean every concern triggers a paid flight. It also does not mean you should book a ticket first and ask later.

The normal sequence is:

1. You report the issue with evidence.
2. Picasso reviews the case remotely.
3. The team decides whether local care, monitoring, or return treatment is appropriate.
4. If a warranty visit is approved, travel support is handled under the written policy.
5. You receive instructions before booking travel.

Read warranty return-flight support for the dedicated page.

How warranty affects treatment choice

Warranty should not be the only factor in your decision, but it should influence how you compare treatment options.

Composite veneers are cheaper at GBP 97 per tooth, but the warranty is 6 months and the material is less durable. Emax Press porcelain veneers cost GBP 290 per tooth and carry a 7-year warranty in the current price list. Lava and Lava Plus crowns cost more than zirconia, but carry longer published warranty terms.

The cheapest option is not always the best long-term option. The right option depends on the tooth, bite, budget, and how much maintenance risk you are willing to carry.

For implants, the decision is more complex. Brand tier, bone quality, surgical protocol, crown design, and hygiene all matter. Ask the dentist why a specific brand is recommended for your case.

How to compare warranty promises between clinics

When you compare overseas clinics, do not compare only the headline number. Compare the written mechanism.

Ask each clinic to show you:

• The exact material or implant brand covered.
• Whether the warranty covers the fixture, abutment, crown, veneer, bridge, or labour.
• Whether travel costs are ever supported.
• What happens if you need urgent stabilisation in the UK.
• Whether outside repair voids the warranty.
• Whether grinding, smoking, poor hygiene, or missed reviews change eligibility.
• How long the clinic takes to respond to a claim.

A short warranty that clearly explains the process can be more useful than a long warranty that hides exclusions. A lifetime claim with no documents is not stronger than a 7-year material warranty that tells you exactly what to do.

For UK patients, response pathway matters as much as duration. You need someone to review photos, talk to your local dentist if needed, and make a clear decision before small problems become expensive ones.

Warranty does not remove the need for maintenance

A warranty is not a maintenance plan.

After veneers, crowns, implants, or full-arch treatment, you still need:

• Careful brushing.
• Interdental cleaning.
• Professional hygiene visits.
• Night guard use if prescribed.
• No chewing ice, bones, hard shells, or non-food items.
• Prompt review of chips, cracks, looseness, swelling, or bleeding.

For veneer maintenance, read veneer care tips and night guards and bruxism.

For implants, read implant aftercare.

Before you book

Before you commit to treatment, ask Picasso for a written GBP quote and read the warranty terms that apply to the treatment you are considering.

For a large case, ask these questions:

1. Which materials are proposed?
2. What warranty term applies to each material?
3. What is excluded?
4. What records do I receive?
5. What happens if I notice a problem in the UK?
6. When would return-flight support apply?
7. What maintenance do I need to keep the warranty valid?

The best warranty is the one you understand before treatment starts.

Request a free GBP quote and ask for the warranty terms that apply to your treatment plan.

• Warranty return-flight support — SmileCare Global Warranty