Replacing a Missing Tooth: Implant, Bridge or Denture?

Replacing a Missing Tooth: Implant, Bridge or Denture?

14th October 2026

Losing a tooth is more than a gap in your smile. Over time the teeth on either side can drift into the space, the tooth opposite can move, and your bite can change. The bone that held the tooth also slowly shrinks once the root has gone. There are three main ways to replace a missing tooth: a dental implant, a bridge or a denture. Each suits different situations, and this guide explains how they compare.

Dental implants

A dental implant is a small titanium post placed in the jawbone where the root used to be. Once the bone has healed around it, a crown is fitted on top.

• Fixed in place and cleaned like a natural tooth.
• Leaves the neighbouring teeth alone. Nothing is attached to or shaped from the teeth either side.
• Needs minor surgery and a healing period, so treatment usually runs over several months.
• Needs enough healthy bone and healthy gums. Our article Am I suitable for dental implants? explains what the assessment looks at.

The NHS says implants are usually only available privately.

Dental bridges

A bridge is a false tooth held in place by the teeth on either side of the gap. In a conventional bridge, those teeth are reduced in size and covered with crowns, which hold the false tooth between them.

• Fixed in place, with no plate to take out.
• No surgery, and usually fewer appointments than an implant.
• Involves the neighbouring teeth. If they are healthy and unfilled, shaping them is a real cost to weigh up. If they already have large fillings or crowns, a bridge can protect them at the same time.
• Needs cleaning underneath the false tooth, with floss threaders or small brushes.

Some bridges are bonded to the back of a neighbouring tooth with little or no shaping. Whether that type suits you depends on the gap and your bite.

Where several teeth are missing, a bridge can also be supported on implants rather than natural teeth. We explain how in Why an implant-supported bridge may be right for you.

Dentures

Dentures are removable false teeth. A partial denture replaces one or more teeth and is held on an acrylic or metal plate. A complete denture replaces a full arch.

• Removable, taken out to clean and usually overnight.
• No surgery and no shaping of healthy teeth in most cases.
• Can replace several teeth at once, including teeth in different parts of the mouth.
• Can take time to get used to, particularly for speaking and eating. Several appointments are needed to get the fit right.

Dentures can also be made to clip onto implants, which holds them more securely than a plate alone.

Side-by-side comparison

Choosing between them

There is no single right answer. The things we look at with you include:

• How many teeth are missing, and where.
• The health of the teeth either side of the gap.
• The bone and gums where the tooth used to be.
• Your general health and any medicines you take.
• How you feel about surgery, and how long you are happy for treatment to take.
• Your budget, including the cost of looking after the replacement over the years.

Questions for your consultation

• Which options are suitable for me, and which would you recommend?
• What will happen to the neighbouring teeth with each option?
• What will I have in the gap while treatment is under way?
• How many appointments will each option take?
• How should I look after it, and how often will you want to see me?
• What is the full cost of each option?

Tooth replacement at The Edge Dental

At your consultation we will examine the gap and the teeth around it, talk through what matters to you, and explain which options are suitable. If you go ahead, you will receive a written treatment plan with costs before treatment starts. Our current prices are on our fees page.

To book, contact us online or call the practice on 01625 599 001.