Replacing a Missing Tooth: Implant, Bridge or Denture?
Losing a tooth, or several, leaves you with a decision about what goes in the gap. This article sets the replacement treatments side by side, and it does not rank them. What follows is description, not a recommendation.
Why replacing a missing tooth matters
Replacing teeth you have lost can reduce your risk for future oral health issues like bone loss, shifting teeth and further tooth loss; dental implants, bridges and dentures are among the treatments (Cleveland Clinic).
Implants
A dental implant replaces a missing tooth root (American College of Prosthodontists). Implants are small, threaded posts that surgically replace missing teeth, and once the implant heals, your dentist can restore it with an artificial tooth (Cleveland Clinic).
There is a separate article on what a dental implant is, and our dental implants page is also on this site.
Bridges
Dental bridges replace missing teeth, and specifically they can replace one tooth or a row of missing teeth. For a traditional bridge, the dentist reshapes the natural teeth that will support it: to do this, they will need to remove some tooth enamel, a step that is irreversible (Cleveland Clinic). Implants do not require enamel removal like bridges do (Cleveland Clinic).
Dentures
Dentures are removable oral appliances that replace missing teeth in your upper jaw, lower jaw or both. A full denture rests atop your gums and relies on your palate, the roof of your mouth, or the lower jawbone ridge for support. Many traditional denture wearers complain that their appliances shift, wobble or slip out of place when they are speaking or chewing, and the average lifespan of a denture is seven to 10 years (Cleveland Clinic).
Denture options are set out in a separate article on implant-supported and traditional dentures.
How long each one lasts
With brushing, flossing and regular dental visits, implants can often last a lifetime. The restoration part of a dental implant might need to be replaced at some point: most crowns and bridges last around 15 years, but this timeline varies (Cleveland Clinic).
Questions worth asking
- Which of these options are possible in my case?
- What would each one involve, start to finish?
- What would each one cost?
- How long would you expect it to last, and what would keep it in good shape?
- Is any part of it irreversible?
Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644, and Dr. Steven Liao is our dentist.
If you would like to put these questions to a dentist, see our first-visit page.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic. "Tooth Loss." Updated 2024-08-20. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/tooth-loss
- Cleveland Clinic. "Dental Implants." Updated 2026-06-11. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/10903-dental-implants
- Cleveland Clinic. "Dental Bridges." Updated 2023-05-24. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/10921-dental-bridges
- Cleveland Clinic. "Dentures." Updated 2023-03-10. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/10900-dentures
- American College of Prosthodontists. "Dental Implants." https://www.gotoapro.org/dental-implants/
