Dental tours · Chengdu 成都
Chengdu
Full-Arch Implants & Pandas
Trip one of a full-arch plan at West China Hospital of Stomatology, one of China's three national dental centres: extractions, implants and a fixed temporary bridge, with recovery days in Chengdu's teahouses, temples and at the giant panda base.
Trip length
12 days / 11 nights
Dental program
Full arch · two trips
Best time to go
March–June and September–November
Best for
A whole jaw of missing or failing teeth; loose dentures
Overview
A new set of fixed teeth, started at the hospital where Chinese dentistry began.
West China Hospital of Stomatology traces its history to a dental clinic opened in Chengdu in 1907, and is one of China's three National Centers for Stomatology. Its new Gaoxin outpatient branch includes an international treatment centre.
Full-arch treatment is a bigger undertaking, so this is the longest route. Surgery comes early, a fixed temporary bridge goes in within days if the implants are stable enough, and there are several check-ups before you fly. You return months later for the final bridge.
This route suits
- Adults with many missing or failing teeth in one or both jaws
- Denture wearers who want fixed teeth
- Patients who want a national centre for complex work
- Travellers happy with a slow pace and good food
Dental program · Full arch · two trips
What the dental care covers
Examination & plan
Nothing is treated until the plan and price are confirmed in writing.
- Consultation with a specialist dentist (English interpreting)
- Fresh panoramic X-ray or CBCT 3D scan
- Written treatment plan with brands, materials and itemised price
- Chance to ask questions and say no before treatment starts
Full-arch surgery (trip 1)
Extractions, implants and a fixed temporary bridge in one stay.
- Extraction of failing teeth and four to six implants per jaw
- Fixed temporary bridge within days, if the implants are stable enough
- Sedation options discussed with the surgeon
- Several check-ups before you fly home
Final bridge (trip 2)
The permanent bridge, months later, once the implants have healed.
- Implant checks and X-rays
- Try-in of the final bridge, with shape and shade agreed with you
- Fitting, bite adjustment and hygiene instruction
- Maintenance plan for your dentist at home
Records & handover
So your dentist at home can look after the work.
- Written summary in English of everything done
- X-rays and scans to take home
- Implant brand, model and size recorded where relevant
- Follow-up video call with your coordinator after you return
The final treatment plan is set by the dentist after your examination and CBCT scan, not before. Background on each treatment is in our dental tourism guide, including implants and full-mouth restoration.
Not sure what treatment you need?
Send us a recent panoramic X-ray or CBCT and a few photos of your teeth. A dentist reviews them and suggests what your Chengdu trip should cover — free, with no obligation.
Treatment timeline
How many trips you need
| Visit | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Trip 1 | This itinerary | Extractions, implants and a fixed temporary bridge; several check-ups before you fly. |
| Healing | Usually 3–6 months, at home | Soft diet at first; the implants fuse with the bone under the temporary bridge. |
| Trip 2 | 5–7 days | Final bridge designed, tried in and fitted. |
Built around healing
How this trip protects your treatment
- Examination and planning on days 1–2; surgery on day 3
- Two full rest days after surgery, with soft food delivered to the hotel if you prefer
- Temporary bridge fitted within days, if the implants are stable enough
- Sightseeing kept to short, flat outings until the first check-up
- Final review two days before you fly
First clinic day
What happens at the clinic
| 09:00 | Meet your coordinator at the hotel; transfer to the hospital (bring your passport). |
|---|---|
| 09:30 | Registration, medical history and medicines reviewed with an interpreter. |
| 10:00 | Examination by a specialist dentist; panoramic X-ray or CBCT scan. |
| 11:00 | Treatment plan explained: options, brands, materials, number of visits and price, in writing. |
| Afternoon | Free to think it over. Treatment starts only once you've agreed the plan. |
Itinerary · 12 days / 11 nights
Day by day
- Day 1
Arrive
- Airport pick-up and hotel check-in
- Rest
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 2
Examination & plan
- Examination, CBCT and photographs
- Plan, brands and price agreed in writing
- Pre-operative checks
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 3
Surgery
- Extractions and implant placement
- Rest at the hotel; coordinator on call
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 4
Rest
- Rest day; soft food
- Short check-up if the surgeon asks
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 5
Rest & teahouse
- Slow morning
- Afternoon at the People's Park teahouse
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 6
Temporary bridge
- Fixed temporary bridge fitted (if implants are stable)
- Afternoon rest
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 7
Wenshu Monastery
- Morning at Wenshu Monastery
- Vegetarian lunch at the monastery
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 8
Check-up
- Check-up and bite adjustment
- Afternoon: Kuanzhai Alley
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 9
Pandas
- Early morning at the panda base
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 10
Final review
- Final review before travel; cleaning instructions
- Afternoon free
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 11
Free day
- Spare day for any adjustment, or a gentle outing
Overnight: Central Chengdu
- Day 12
Depart
- Records, X-rays and implant details handed over
- Transfer to Tianfu or Shuangliu airport
Make this itinerary yours
Change the dates, add rest days, upgrade hotels or combine it with another route. Your coordinator sends a revised plan and itemised quote.
Travel
What you’ll see
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Giant pandas in landscaped enclosures in the north of the city, most active at feeding time in the morning.
Tip: Arrive at opening time; electric carts reduce walking.
Wenshu Monastery
A working Buddhist monastery with quiet courtyards and a vegetarian restaurant and teahouse.
Tip: The teahouse is a calm place to sit on a recovery day.
People's Park teahouse
Chengdu's best-known open-air teahouse, where locals play mahjong and have their ears cleaned by roaming practitioners.
Tip: Order a jasmine tea and take your time.
Kuanzhai Alley
Restored Qing-era lanes of courtyard houses, shops and snack stalls.
Tip: Soft snacks such as tofu pudding (douhua) are easy after treatment; skip the chilli for now.
Hospitals
Where the dental treatment happens
West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University 四川大学华西口腔医院
Public university dental hospital · National Center for Stomatology
Traces its history to Chengdu's Renji Dental Clinic of 1907. One of three National Centers for Stomatology and a national clinical research centre for oral diseases. Its Gaoxin outpatient branch includes an international treatment centre.
We use it for
- Full-arch implants
- Complex implant cases
- Bone grafting
The hospital and dentist are confirmed after reviewing your X-rays, dates and availability. An English-speaking coordinator accompanies you to every appointment. Ask for the implant or material brand in writing in your quote.
Worried about pain or downtime?
Tell us what you're having done and when you fly home. We'll plan the clinic days so the hardest ones fall early, with rest days after surgery and soft-food-friendly restaurants nearby.
Aftercare
Travelling after dental treatment
Eating
Soft, lukewarm food for the first days after surgery or extractions. Chinese cities make this easy: congee, steamed dumplings, tofu, noodle soups. Ask for food that isn't spicy.
Activity
Gentle walking is fine. Avoid strenuous hikes, swimming, saunas and hot springs in the first days after surgery; your surgeon will tell you when.
Flying
Most people can fly a day or two after routine dental treatment. After a sinus lift, your surgeon may ask you to wait longer. Follow their advice for your case.
Alcohol & smoking
Both slow healing and raise the risk of implant problems. Avoid them for as long as your surgeon advises, ideally for the whole trip.
General guidance only. Your dentist gives you instructions for your own treatment, and those come first.
Practical tips
Before you go
- Plan for a soft diet for several weeks after full-arch surgery; we'll send a list before you go.
- Tell us about any medical conditions or medicines, especially blood thinners, diabetes or bisphosphonates, so the surgeon can plan safely.
- Sichuan food is famously spicy. Ask for 不辣 (bù là, not spicy) while you heal.
- Send a panoramic X-ray or CBCT taken in the last six months, if you have one, plus a few photos of your teeth.
- Bring a list of all your medicines with doses. Tell us in advance about blood thinners, diabetes, osteoporosis drugs or radiotherapy to the head and neck.
- Bring your passport to every appointment; hospitals use it to register you.
- Ask your home dentist whether they will maintain work done abroad. Most will, with the records we provide.
FAQ
Chengdu dental tour — answered.
- Will I leave with teeth?
- Yes. If the implants are stable enough, a fixed temporary bridge goes in within days. If they aren't, the surgeon fits a temporary denture instead and the implants heal under it. You don't fly home without teeth either way.
- Why does the final bridge need a second trip?
- The implants need time to fuse with the bone before the permanent bridge is made, usually three to six months. The temporary bridge is designed to get you through that period.
- Can I get implants and the final teeth in one trip?
- Usually not. Conventional implants need about three to six months to fuse with the bone before the final crown or bridge is fitted. That's why our implant and full-arch routes are planned as two trips. On a full-arch trip you leave with fixed temporary teeth.
- Are the hospitals public or private?
- Every hospital on these routes is a public hospital, most of them university dental hospitals. Three of them, in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, are China's National Centers for Stomatology.
- Why are dental implants cheaper in China now?
- In 2023, China ran national volume-based procurement for implants: the average price of the selected implant bodies fell by 55%, to just over 900 yuan. China's healthcare security administration also asked tertiary public hospitals to keep the medical-service fee for a single routine implant to no more than 4,500 yuan. That cap covers the service fee only; the crown and any grafting are charged separately.
- How much does a dental tour cost?
- It depends on the treatment, which only a dentist can confirm after seeing your X-rays, plus the route and hotels. Send us an X-ray and your dates, and we'll reply with an itemised quote that names the implant or material brands.
- What if something goes wrong after I get home?
- Ask about the clinic's follow-up and warranty terms before you book, in writing. You leave with full records, X-rays and implant details, so your dentist at home can see exactly what was done, and your coordinator stays in touch after the trip.
- Can my partner come?
- Yes. A companion is helpful on surgery days, and they can join the sightseeing or book their own check-up.
Related guides
Other routes
Beijing · Implants & Imperial Sights
7 days / 6 nights · One to three missing teeth; first-time visitors to China
View routeShanghai · Crowns, Veneers & the City
10 days / 9 nights · Crowns, bridges and veneers; worn or discoloured teeth
View routeHangzhou · Dental Check-up & West Lake
5 days / 4 nights · Check-ups, fillings, root canals, wisdom teeth
View routeXi'an · Implants & the Terracotta Army
7 days / 6 nights · One to three missing teeth; history lovers
View routeGuangzhou · Crowns & Cantonese Food
9 days / 8 nights · Crowns, bridges and veneers; travellers from Hong Kong and South-East Asia
View routeShenzhen · Quick Dental Trip from Hong Kong
4 days / 3 nights · Check-ups and general dentistry; visitors already in Hong Kong
View routeChengdu, dental care included.
Get your itemised quote.
Share your dates, who’s travelling and a recent X-ray if you have one. We’ll confirm the clinic, dental program and hotels, and pace the sightseeing around your treatment.