For one missing tooth, an implant replaces the root with a post in the jawbone and leaves the neighboring teeth alone, while a bridge holds a false tooth on crowns fitted to the teeth either side. The health of those neighboring teeth usually decides which fits you better.
How Each One Replaces the Tooth
A dental implant has three parts: a small post, usually titanium, placed in the jawbone; an abutment that connects to it; and a crown on top. Over a few months the bone bonds to the post, and the new tooth then stands on its own.
A traditional dental bridge is a single piece made of three or more joined crowns. The two outer crowns fit over the teeth on each side of the gap, which are reshaped to take them, and the false tooth in the middle sits on the gum. Other bridge designs exist for some cases, such as one bonded to the back of a neighboring tooth, but the traditional bridge is the one most people are offered.
Start With the Teeth Beside the Gap
To fit a traditional bridge, the teeth on both sides are shaped down so crowns can fit over them, and that enamel does not grow back.
- If those teeth are healthy, with few or no fillings, an implant leaves them untouched. An implant is often the suggestion here, because a bridge would mean crowning two sound teeth to replace one.
- If those teeth already have large fillings, cracks or old crowns that need replacing, a bridge puts that work to use. The same visits that restore them also fill the gap.
The anchor teeth also carry risk over time. A systematic review of conventional bridges recorded decay under the crowns, the bridge coming loose, and fractures of an anchor tooth or of the bridge material. If one anchor tooth fails, the whole bridge usually has to be replaced, and that tooth may need treatment of its own.
What Happens to the Bone
The jawbone under a missing tooth gradually shrinks, because nothing is pressing on it any more. An implant puts chewing force back into that bone, which helps preserve it. A bridge sits on top of the gum, so the bone under the false tooth can keep slowly shrinking, and a small gap can appear under it over the years.
Bone also decides whether an implant is possible at all. If the bone is too thin, it may need a graft first, which adds time and cost. A bridge does not depend on the bone under the gap, so it remains an option when grafting is not.
How Long Each Takes
A bridge is quicker. It usually takes two visits a few weeks apart: one to shape the anchor teeth and take a scan or impression, and one to fit the finished bridge. There is no surgery.
An implant takes longer. After the post is placed, the bone usually needs three to six months to bond to it before the final crown goes on, and an extraction or graft beforehand adds healing time. You can usually wear a temporary tooth in the meantime.
How Long Each Lasts
Bridges hold up well. A 2004 systematic review in Clinical Oral Implants Research estimated that about 89% of conventional bridges were still in place after 10 years. Published reviews generally report higher 10-year survival for the implants themselves, though the crown on an implant can wear and may need replacing while the post stays in place. Your gums, habits and any grinding matter more than the average.
Cost Now and Over the Years
At Redondo Beach Dental Group, a single dental implant typically costs $3,000 to $6,000, which includes the implant, the abutment and the crown. An extraction or bone graft can add to that. The cost of a bridge depends on the case: how many teeth it spans, the material, and whether the anchor teeth need other treatment first. Ask for an estimate for both after your exam so you are comparing real numbers.
The long-run comparison is harder to call. A bridge often costs less at the start. Whether it still costs less years later depends on whether it needs replacing, whether an anchor tooth needs a root canal or extraction, and how long the crown on an implant lasts. Dental plans also tend to treat the two differently, and some cover part of a bridge but little of an implant. Ask us how your plan applies to each before you decide.
Cleaning and Upkeep
An implant crown is brushed and flossed much like a natural tooth. The gum around it still needs attention, because infection around an implant, called peri-implantitis, can cause bone loss.
A bridge needs one extra step: cleaning under the false tooth, where food collects. A floss threader, special floss or a small interdental brush does it. Keeping the edges of the anchor crowns clean is what protects those teeth from decay.
Who Tends to Suit Which
An implant is often the better fit when:
- The teeth beside the gap are healthy and you would rather not have them crowned
- There is enough bone, or you are willing to have a graft
- You are in good general health and can wait a few months for the final tooth
A bridge is often the better fit when:
- The teeth beside the gap already need crowns
- Bone loss is significant and you would rather not have a graft
- Health conditions such as poorly controlled diabetes, heavy smoking or certain bone medications make implant surgery a poor choice for now
- You want the gap filled within weeks rather than months
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would a dentist not recommend an implant?
A dentist may not recommend an implant when there is not enough bone and grafting is not practical, when gum disease is active and untreated, or when health factors such as poorly controlled diabetes, heavy smoking, past radiation to the jaw or certain bone medications raise the risk that the implant will not heal well. An implant is also not usually placed while the jaw is still growing.
Why would a dentist not recommend a bridge?
A dentist may not recommend a bridge when the teeth beside the gap are healthy and unfilled, because a bridge means shaping them down for crowns. A bridge may also be a poor choice if those teeth have weak roots or gum disease, since they would have to carry the extra load of the false tooth.
How much cheaper is a bridge than an implant?
How much cheaper a bridge is than an implant depends on the case. At our office a single implant typically costs $3,000 to $6,000 including the abutment and crown, while a bridge’s cost depends on how many teeth it spans and the material. Ask for an estimate for both after an exam.
How much does a 1 tooth bridge cost?
The cost of a bridge for one missing tooth depends mainly on the material, the design, and whether the anchor teeth need other work such as a filling or root canal first. Because those vary from mouth to mouth, the honest figure comes from an estimate after an exam.
Which is more painful, a bridge or an implant?
An implant usually involves more discomfort than a bridge, because placing the post is minor surgery. Both are done with the area numbed, so most people feel pressure rather than pain during treatment. Soreness and swelling for a few days are common after an implant, while anchor teeth can feel sensitive for a short time after a bridge.
Is it worth getting dental implants at 70 years old?
Dental implants can be worth it at 70, because age alone does not rule them out. General health, bone quality, how well you heal and how long you are willing to wait for the final tooth matter more. For some people at that age, a bridge is the simpler choice, and it is reasonable to weigh both.
Not Sure Which Fits Your Gap?
Ask us to look at the teeth beside the gap and price an implant and a bridge side by side at Redondo Beach Dental Group. Call (310) 542-6988 or request an appointment online.