A bridge is a strong option when one or more teeth are missing, and the adjacent teeth are healthy or already require crowning. Your dentist will always present all suitable options, including implants, and help you choose the approach that best fits your clinical situation, lifestyle, and goals.
Every bridge placed at Berkhamsted Dental begins with a thorough assessment and an honest conversation about options. We take the time to understand your situation, explain the alternatives clearly, and ensure you feel completely confident in the plan before any treatment begins. We will never recommend a bridge or any other treatment unless it is genuinely the right clinical choice for you.
We work with high-quality materials and take considerable care over shade-matching, shape, and proportion, because a replacement tooth should look like it was always part of your smile. Our dental laboratory partners work to exacting standards, and every finished bridge is checked and adjusted before it is permanently placed.
The cost of a bridge depends on the number of units involved, the material selected, and the complexity of your individual case. In all cases, you will receive a full treatment plan and fee breakdown before any work begins. There will never be any surprises.
Yes. Modern porcelain and zirconia bridges are extremely lifelike. The pontics and crowns are shade-matched to your surrounding teeth and designed to reflect light in the same way as natural enamel.
Patients frequently tell us that friends and family cannot tell the difference.
With good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups, a well-made bridge can last fifteen years or more.
Longevity depends on the material, how well the bridge is cleaned, and your individual bite. Your dentist will advise on what to expect for your specific case at your consultation.
The teeth that support a bridge, known as abutment teeth, are prepared in the same way as for a crown: reshaped slightly so the supporting crowns fit correctly.
This preparation is permanent, which is one reason your dentist will always discuss all options with you before recommending a bridge.
Where the adjacent teeth are healthy and untreated, an implant may be the more conservative long-term option.
The preparation appointment is carried out under local anaesthetic, so you should experience no pain during the procedure.
Some mild sensitivity or tenderness in the days following preparation is normal and usually settles quickly. The fitting appointment is typically very straightforward and comfortable.
The artificial tooth in a bridge sits over the gum rather than being rooted in it, which means cleaning underneath it requires a little more care.
Your dentist or hygienist will show you how to use interdental brushes or floss threaders to clean beneath the pontic effectively. Kept clean, a bridge can last for many years without issue.
Yes, regular hygiene appointments are just as important, arguably more so, with a bridge in place.
Your hygienist will clean areas that are difficult to reach at home, including around the margins of the crowns and beneath the pontic, and will advise you on maintaining the health of the supporting teeth and gum tissue.
A dental implant replaces the root of the missing tooth with a titanium post that integrates with the jawbone, on top of which a single crown is placed. It does not involve the adjacent teeth at all.
A bridge is supported by the teeth on either side of the gap, which must be prepared (crowned).
Implants are typically the more conservative option where the neighbouring teeth are healthy and untreated; bridges may be the preferred choice where those teeth already need crowning, or where a patient is not suitable for implant surgery.
Your dentist will discuss both options at your consultation.
Whether you’re booking your first appointment, have a question about our treatments, or simply want advice on your dental care — our friendly team is here to help.
