Losing a tooth affects more than your smile. It can make chewing harder, change how you speak and, over time, allow the teeth either side of the gap to drift. The good news is that there’s more than one way to replace it. The three main options are a dental implant, a bridge or a denture, and the right one depends on your mouth, your health and what matters most to you.
Here’s how each one works, and the questions we’ll talk through with you at your consultation.
A dental implant replaces the root of the missing tooth. A small titanium post is placed into the jawbone under local anaesthetic. Over the following few months the bone bonds to it, and a custom-made crown is then fitted on top.
Because an implant sits in the bone like a natural root, it doesn’t rely on the neighbouring teeth for support. It also helps to preserve the bone in that area, which otherwise tends to shrink after a tooth is lost. With good oral hygiene and regular check-ups, implants can last 20 years or more.
Implants aren’t right for everyone. You’ll need enough healthy bone, or a bone graft first, healthy gums, and general health that allows healing. Treatment takes several months from start to finish and is the most expensive of the three options.
At Dentistry on Gipsy Hill, implants are placed by our implant surgeon and finished with a custom crown, all at the practice. You can read more on our dental implants page.
A bridge fills the gap with an artificial tooth held in place by crowns on the teeth either side. It’s fixed, so you don’t take it out, and it can usually be completed in two or three appointments without surgery.
The trade-off is that the neighbouring teeth have to be shaped to take the crowns, so a bridge makes most sense when those teeth already need crowns or large fillings. A bridge doesn’t replace the tooth root, so it won’t prevent bone loss under the gap. With good care, many bridges last 10 to 15 years or longer. More detail is on our dental bridges page.
A denture is a removable replacement for one, several or all of your teeth. A partial denture clips around your remaining teeth, and a full denture rests on the gums. Dentures are the least invasive and usually the most affordable option, and they can replace several missing teeth at once.
They do take some getting used to, and they need taking out to clean. Some patients find them less secure when eating. If that’s a concern, dentures can also be held in place by implants. See our dentures page for the types we offer.
There’s no single best option. It comes down to a few questions:
How many teeth are missing, and where? A single back tooth, a front tooth and several teeth across the arch each lead to different recommendations.
How healthy are the neighbouring teeth? If they’re sound, an implant avoids drilling them. If they already need crowns, a bridge can do both jobs at once.
What’s the bone and gum health like? Implants need a healthy foundation. Any gum disease is treated first.
How long do you want it to last, and what’s your budget? Implants usually cost the most but last the longest. Bridges and dentures cost less up front but may need replacing sooner.
How do you feel about surgery? Some patients would rather avoid it altogether. That’s a perfectly good reason to choose a bridge or denture.
Your consultation starts with an examination and, where needed, X-rays or a 3D scan. We’ll explain which options are suitable for you, what each would involve and how long it would take, and you’ll receive a written treatment plan with fees before anything begins. Current prices for implants, bridges and dentures are in our fee guide.
If you’re weighing up your options, book a consultation or call us on 020 8670 2296.
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