Dental bridges: how they work, and when to choose one.

A dental bridge fills the gap left by a missing tooth with an artificial tooth (a "pontic") held in place by crowns on the teeth either side — the "abutment" teeth. It's cemented in, so unlike a denture it stays put. The trade-off built into a traditional bridge is that the supporting teeth have to be filed down to take crowns, even if they were perfectly healthy — which is the main reason implants are often preferred when those neighbours are sound.

The common types are the traditional bridge (a pontic held by a crown on each side — the standard for a gap between two good teeth); the cantilever bridge (supported on one side only, for limited situations); the Maryland (resin-bonded) bridge, which bonds wings to the backs of the neighbours with minimal preparation — conservative but less robust, often for front teeth; and the implant-supported bridge, anchored on implants rather than natural teeth, which spares the neighbours entirely.

For a traditional bridge, the abutment teeth are prepared, an impression is taken, and a temporary bridge is worn while the lab makes the final one; it's then cemented on a second visit. With an in-house lab this can often be completed within a single trip. An implant-supported bridge follows the implant timeline instead — placement, healing, then the bridge — so it's a longer, staged process.

The key difference: a bridge uses the neighbouring teeth for support (filing down healthy teeth, and if one fails the whole bridge is affected), while an implant stands alone and preserves them. An implant also protects the jawbone, which shrinks under a bridge's gap. Bridges are usually quicker and cheaper upfront and avoid surgery; implants cost more and take longer but last longer and don't compromise other teeth. Where the neighbours are healthy, an implant is often the better long-term choice — but a bridge is a sound option when those teeth already need crowns anyway.

A well-made bridge typically lasts 10–15 years, often longer, with good hygiene. Its lifespan depends heavily on keeping the supporting teeth and gums healthy — decay under an abutment crown is the usual reason a bridge fails. Cleaning under the pontic (with floss threaders or interdental brushes) is essential, since plaque collects there. Looked after, a bridge is a durable, comfortable fixed replacement.