Dental implant vs bridge
Quick answer
Is a dental implant better than a bridge?
An implant replaces the missing root without cutting neighbouring teeth.
A bridge uses those teeth as supports. At York House Dental Practice in West Byfleet, a single implant starts from £2,500 including the crown; bridgework starts from £750 per unit. Which is better depends on the health of the adjacent teeth, bone volume and your budget — we will say so after an examination, not from a slogan.
| Dental implant | Dental bridge | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost at York House | From £2,500 including the crown | From £750 per unit |
| Neighbouring teeth | Left untouched | Prepared to support the bridge |
| Treatment time | Longer — includes healing (3–6 months) | Quicker — usually a few weeks |
| Cleaning | Brush and floss like a natural tooth | Needs floss threaders under the bridge |
| Bone in the jaw | Implant keeps bone stimulated | Bone under the gap slowly shrinks |
| Best for | Healthy adjacent teeth, enough bone | Adjacent teeth already need crowns |
What you need to know
A conventional bridge is quicker and can be the right choice when the neighbouring teeth already need crowns. The drawback is that healthy enamel is prepared to hold the bridge, and you cannot floss those teeth in the usual way.
An implant stands alone. It usually takes longer (healing time, not chair time) and needs enough bone. If a scan shows a graft is required, that is added to the plan rather than hidden.
Read implants and dental bridges. If several teeth are missing, dentures and All-on-4 enter the conversation too.
Care at York House Dental Practice
Welcoming new patients, families and emergency appointments from West Byfleet, Woking, Weybridge, and across Surrey.
Last reviewed: by Dr Kaveet Patel, Principal Dentist
