How Does the Cost of a Dental Implant and Crown Compare to a Bridge?

How Does the Cost of a Dental Implant and Crown Compare to a Bridge?

The cost of a three-unit bridge can range from £2,100 to £3,000 depending on the type of bridge itself and the work on the teeth that will support the bridge. The cost of a single tooth implant is approximately £1,500 and £450 for a cosmetic crown, so generally the implant option is the cheaper of the two.

The biggest difference is not just that the implant option is cheaper, but also other clinical factors. For example to fit a three unit bridge to replace one missing tooth would involve cutting down the two natural teeth either side of the space. Those natural teeth might otherwise be completely healthy, so to replace one missing tooth you are compromising an additional two natural teeth. With the single implant option the natural teeth either side of the missing tooth are not used and ramain intact. Other factors associated with a dental bridge involve the life expectancy of the bridge which may fail in the future due to recurrent decay or periodontal disease. By comparison the implant is a unit which is not connected to any natural teeth and so cannot be compromised by tooth decay.

The cost of any future restoration work under a dental bridge will add to the dental restoration and tooth replacement cost.

The dental implant cost over your lifetime would be much less than compared to a three-unit bridge, and is the most natural replacement for a missing tooth.