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| | | A dental bridge is permanently fixed in place to bridge the gap caused by a missing tooth or teeth. Most fixed bridges involve three to four teeth -- one or two false teeth to fill the gap, plus crowns on the two anchor teeth on either side of the gap. | | |
| Typical costs: | - Also called a resin-bonded bridge, a Maryland bridge consists of a plastic tooth (or teeth) and gums supported on a metal framework, with metal wings bonded to the existing teeth on either side of the gap. This is the most simple type of bridge to apply, and runs about $250 -$500 for each attaching wing and $600 -$1,200 for each false tooth, or $850 -$1,200 for one false tooth with two metal wings and $1,700 -$2,900 with two false teeth.
- A traditional three-unit bridge uses a false tooth (called a pontic) plus a crown on each side to fill the gap created by a missing tooth. When there are teeth on only one side of the gap, a cantilever bridge uses crowns only on one side. These bridges can cost anywhere from $500 -$1,500 per tooth (unit), or $1,500 -$4,500 for fixing in place a false tooth fused to two anchoring crowns, but costs can go as high as $6,000 -$9,000 for a three-unit bridge. A four-unit bridge (two false teeth, two anchor crowns) can run $2,000 -$12,000.
- Dental insurance might pay about half the cost of a fixed dental bridge, depending on the terms of your policy.
- A removable appliance to replace one or more missing teeth is actually not a bridge but a partial denture, which costs $300 -$700 or more depending on location, complexity and the quality of materials. A more expensive option to fill the gap from a missing tooth is a single dental implant, which requires surgery. Costs start around $1,250 -$3,000 per implant, but can be $15,000 -$30,000 or more depending on local rates, complexity and the need for bone or gum restoration work.
What should be included: | - Generally a fixed bridge requires two appointments. At the first appointment, the dentist will typically remove some of the enamel from the two adjoining (anchor) teeth to make room for the crowns, make an impression of your teeth and then install a temporary bridge. The impression is sent to a dental laboratory, which manufacturers the bridge. At the second appointment your dentist will remove the temporary bridge and install and adjust the permanent bridge. Additional appointments might be needed to check the fit and bite. Dental bridges require good oral hygiene, but should last 5 to 15 years or longer. WebMD.com provides an overview.
Discounts: | - Dental college clinics often provide services by supervised students or faculty at reduced rates; check DentalSite.com for school locations.
- Some dental groups pay partial fees for low-income patients; the American Dental Association lists state associations.
Shopping for a dental bridge: | |
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Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
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Article updated January 2009 |
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Recent Posts |
| Amount: $0.00 total |
bridge failure
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| Posted by: les carter in ukiah, CA. | Purchased: May, 2001 |
| Dentist: scoggins |
i received a 7 tooth bridge. it was not permittly
sealed and failed. the anchor teeth decayed away. |
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| Amount: $2,600.00 total |
3-unit Bridge porc.fuse.hi.nob crown
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| Posted by: dentists decay like me in Princeton, NJ. | Purchased: June, 2009 |
| Dentist: good general dentist |
| I got the regular fixed 3-unit bridge: a pontic, with porcelain-fused to high nobel metal crowns on each side of a molar/pre. Dentist billed me for bridge at $3100.(an extra $325 for the molar extraction, intraoral periapical film xray). My Dental Insurance lowered fee to $2,800; and I had to pay $1800 (the $1500 deductible used up). |
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| Amount: $1,500.00 total |
DON'T DO BRIDGE!!!
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| Posted by: Jillian in St. Louis, MO. | Purchased: 2009 |
| People, take it from me, if given the choice of Bridge vs. more expensive implant..take the implant for God's sake and yours! I opted for the cheaper route, and am now paying dearly. Bridges require the Dr. to grind-down the two prob. good teeth on either side of the bridge and then these appliances collect food debris underneath requiring you to waterpik underneath them almost daily, okay, ultimately this is merely a short-term fix which they readily admit will require replacement & adjustments. All this can aggravate the one or both of the teeth that were ground down..now as w/me, 5 yrs later, I had to have bridge removal & extraction of the ground down teeth..so at 45 something yrs. of age, I'm missing 3 teeth on R lower left, began chewing on R to compensate, cracked upper left, where I just underwent root canal 2-4 mths ago! Got the picture? Instead of initial 1 tooth implant, which is supposed to last lifetime for $3-4K, I'm now looking at 4X that amount minimum, just 5 yrs. later..so if given the choice, GO IMPLANT and you'll likely never have to look back!! p.s. and I wished I'd come across a message like this 5 yrs. ago :-( & no matter what she looks like in the picture, who wants to date a girl with dentures or worse..no teeth! This is my painful reality. |
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| Amount: $0.00 total |
Bridge vs Implant
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| Posted by: Laurie in Port Richey, FL. | Purchased: 2010 |
| Jillian, it is easy to say GO IMPLANT, but you have to have good bone to attach it to. In this article, it says it could cost more than $30,000, depending on how much building up of the gums and bones you need. My dentist said I am not a good candidate for an implant (which I would have definitely preferred)but I obviously have no other choice(besides keeping the space there!) Your comment was helpful to me, and I will ask my dentist more about the future situations that could arise. But he also told me, the starting prices between a bridge and implant isn't that much difference..$3,300 for bridge and $3,700 for implant. I would have paid the higher for implant..but like I said...not a good candidate...and the more work to restore bones and gums...WOOH!..just cannot afford that much!I am sorry for the situation you are in, that's what I am worried about for myself...so it was good to get your info!!! |
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| Amount: $3,000.00 total |
Bridge Replacement
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| Posted by: Crystal OKC in Oklahoma City, OK. | Purchased: May, 2010 |
| I was born without my upper lateral incisors. After braces, at 17 I had 2 cantilever bridges put in. Both of my upper canines were shaved down and then a porcelain cap with the fake tooth connected was cemented on. I only had 1 tooth shaved down for each bridge. I am now 31 and my cantilever bridges are still fine and have caused me no problems. I have wasted time and money to find out I\'m not a good candidate for implants. The color of my bridges was great until whitening became popular. After years of thinking about it, I have decided to have my bridges replaced with new ones after my teeth are whitened. It is only $3000.00 compared to the $7500.00 plus I was told I would have had to pay if I was able to get implants. My point is everyone is different. No mouth the same, no hygenie the same, no dentist the same. You shouldn\'t sway someone to not get a bridge just because you had a bad experience. I\'ve had a great experience. No one even knows those two teeth are fake. I recommend you tell people about your experience and let them make their own decisions. |
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| Amount: $12,000.00 total |
Bridge
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| Posted by: Stephanie1460 in lehigh acres, FL. | Purchased: 2010 |
| Just got an estimate to have a bridge done on my front teeth that will also call for a buildup etc on the top of my mouth...is this the practical cost of this?? |
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| Amount: $4,200.00 total |
maryland bridge
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| Posted by: katherine.r.w in Auckland, New Zealand, Other. | Purchased: June, 2010 |
| after having braces for four years with two false teeth bonded to the bracket it was now time to have a permanent fixture for my two front incisors. i was not willing to have the operation, prep and recovery time required for implants so a bridge was my only option. granted that the teeth on either side of the false teeth are slightly grey due to the metal bonded at the back, my teeth look great, i now smile naturally and don't have the constant fear of something snapping. the hygiene required is a nuisance however after years of braces and gaps it's all worth it. |
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