The three options in plain English
A dental implant is a titanium fixture placed into your jawbone, where it fuses with the bone over a few months and replaces the missing root. A crown is then fitted on top. It stands on its own and touches nothing else.
A bridge uses the teeth either side of the gap as anchors. Those teeth are prepared, crowns are slotted over them, and the replacement tooth spans the space between. No surgery, and nothing to take out at night. Our dental bridges in Cheltenham start from £1,200.
A denture is a removable replacement resting on the gum, held by suction or by small metal hooks on your remaining teeth. Dentures can be partial, for a few teeth, or full, for a whole arch.
How long each one lasts
This is where the price gap starts to close. A denture typically serves well for five to ten years, though it needs adjusting or relining as the gum underneath changes shape. A bridge usually lasts ten to fifteen years, and its life depends almost entirely on the health of the two teeth holding it up. An implant, kept clean and checked regularly, can last decades, although the crown may need replacing eventually. Spread the cost over the years of service and the cheapest option on the day is not always the cheapest in the end.
What each option asks of the rest of your mouth
This is the part most price comparisons leave out, and it often decides the case. A bridge requires a layer of enamel to be removed from the teeth either side, and that cannot be undone. If those teeth already have large fillings or crowns, it is barely a loss. If they are pristine, it is a real trade-off worth thinking about. A denture rests on the gum and does nothing to stimulate the bone beneath it. Bone gradually shrinks where a tooth is missing, which is why dentures that fit beautifully in year one can start to move by year five. An implant is the only option that replaces the root, so it is the only one that keeps the bone working. It does need enough bone to start with, and where that is thin, a bone graft from £300 or a sinus lift from £1,200 rebuilds the foundation first. Your £90 implant consultation includes the X-rays and scans that tell us which category you fall into.
So which one is right for you?
One gap, healthy teeth either side and enough bone: an implant is usually the best long term answer, and it leaves your other teeth untouched. One gap, but the neighbouring teeth already need crowning, or you would rather avoid surgery: a bridge does the job faster and for less, and it makes good use of work those teeth need anyway. Several teeth missing, or you need something affordable quickly: a denture stays the most flexible option, and it can be adjusted as things change. Somewhere in between: a denture fixed to two implants with stud-like attachments, from £4,500, keeps the affordability of a denture while anchoring it firmly. Three missing teeth in a row can be replaced with a bridge on two implants from £5,000.
Frequently asked questions
Are any of these available on the NHS?
Can I start with a denture and have an implant later?
Do I have to replace the tooth at all?
Talk it through with us
The right answer depends on your bone, your remaining teeth and your budget, and all three are assessed in one appointment. Call Oriel Villas Dental Surgery on 01242 523531, use our private patient line on 07741 593675, or book online. A new patient examination with X-rays, treatment plan and quotation is £80, and an implant consultation is £90. You will leave knowing what each option would cost in your case, in writing, with no obligation to go ahead.
Written by Dr Jakub Wojcicki,
Dentist at Oriel Villas Dental Surgery
(GDC No. 84982)