Crowns, Bridges and Dentures

Your tooth is still present but is broken, worn or heavily filled

Start with the dental crowns page. A crown covers the visible part of a tooth; tooth tissue is removed during preparation. The page also explains when a filling or an onlay, which covers part of the tooth, may be considered instead, depending on the remaining tissue. Having had root canal treatment does not by itself determine whether a crown is needed; your dentist assesses what remains. The page also explains research findings on how long crowns remain in use⁵.

You have a missing tooth or several missing teeth next to each other

The dental bridges page compares fixed options supported by natural teeth. A conventional bridge requires neighbouring teeth to be filed down and crowned. A single missing tooth can also be replaced with an implant crown, without filing down the neighbouring teeth; see the single-tooth implant page. A resin-bonded bridge uses a wing bonded to the inner surface of a neighbouring tooth to hold the replacement tooth. At your examination, ask whether the neighbouring teeth already need crowns and whether they can support a bridge. The possibility of decay and pulp problems in supporting teeth² is part of the decision.

You are missing some teeth or all the teeth in a jaw

The dentures page compares partial and complete dentures. A partial denture receives support from remaining teeth. A complete denture rests on the gums in a jaw with no teeth. You remove and replace both types yourself. Dentures may help with eating and speaking difficulties caused by missing teeth⁶. The page also covers getting used to dentures, cleaning and adjustments to their fit.

You are considering dentures attached to implants or fixed teeth for a toothless jaw

Not all implant-supported teeth are fixed. You remove an implant-supported removable denture for cleaning; only a dentist removes a fixed bridge. The full-mouth implants page compares these approaches, complete dentures without implants and shorter bridges supported by more implants.

In randomised trials involving people with no teeth in the lower jaw, removable dentures attached to implants were, on average, associated with greater satisfaction than conventional dentures⁷. The size of the benefit is uncertain. This finding cannot be applied directly to the upper jaw: a 2026 consensus report notes that the advantage may not hold there, although newer studies reported improved satisfaction⁸.

Ask these questions at your examination:

• Can my tooth be kept? If a crown is proposed, ask whether enough tooth tissue remains. If extractions are proposed, ask for the reason for each tooth separately.
• What condition are my neighbouring teeth in? Ask what would need to be done to them for a bridge and whether an option that removes less tooth tissue would be suitable.
• Could I manage a removable denture? Explain your expectations about daily use and cleaning. If you are considering a fixed bridge, ask for a demonstration of how to clean underneath it.
• What assessment would I need for implants? Discuss your bone, general health, medicines and healing with your dentist.
• Does every gap need to be filled? Ask about leaving a gap untreated, particularly where back teeth are missing.

A review of adults who retained their front teeth and premolars but were missing back molars described leaving those missing molars unreplaced as encouraging in terms of chewing and satisfaction⁹. This finding cannot be applied to every tooth gap.

If you are satisfied with your upper complete denture and your oral tissues are healthy, an international consensus guideline does not recommend additional treatment beyond regular maintenance, and recommends that you are told about the alternatives⁸.

You can decide against treatment or ask to stop. Before an irreversible step such as tooth preparation or extraction, ask what it involves and what alternatives remain.

Each treatment page explains its risks in more detail. Consider these differences when making your decision:

• Crowns and tooth-supported bridges. Tooth tissue removed during preparation does not grow back. In teeth that were initially vital, loss of pulp vitality has been reported after indirect restorations such as crowns¹. The certainty of the evidence is low. The problem cannot be attributed solely to preparation; previous decay and fillings may also contribute. With conventional bridges, decay and loss of pulp vitality in supporting teeth are among the main problems².
• Removable dentures. As the jawbone changes shape after extractions, dentures can become loose¹⁰. Pain, sores and slipping need assessment⁶. Teeth supporting partial dentures have been associated with a higher risk of extraction; this association does not prove that the denture caused the tooth loss¹¹.
• Implant-supported teeth. The implants and the teeth attached to them are assessed separately. With fixed bridges replacing all the teeth in a jaw, implant loss¹², inflammation around implants, screw loosening and porcelain fractures³ have been reported. Implant-supported removable dentures may also need attachment replacement, relining to adjust the fit, and repairs⁸.

Choosing a fixed option or using implants does not remove the need for maintenance and repairs.

A crown, a bridge, a denture and implant-supported teeth remaining in use are different outcomes. Results for single crowns on natural teeth⁵ cannot be applied directly to implant-supported crowns or bridges. For conventional bridges, remaining in place and remaining free of complications are also different outcomes¹³.

Putting results from different patient groups side by side does not establish which option suits you. A review examining bridges and single implants found no directly comparative study¹⁴.

These findings come from published studies, not our clinic's own records. Detailed figures and follow-up periods are on the relevant treatment pages. There is no fixed evidence-based interval for relining or replacing removable dentures¹⁵; the decision follows an examination.

With crowns and bridges, cleaning natural teeth, restoration margins and the spaces between teeth remains necessary. Your dentist can demonstrate how to use suitable floss or interdental brushes beneath a fixed bridge. Studies of cleaning between teeth suggest that these tools, alongside brushing, may reduce plaque and gum inflammation¹⁶. The certainty of the evidence is low, and these studies looked at cleaning between teeth in general, not specifically beneath bridges.

Removable dentures are cleaned outside the mouth. A review found that combining brushing with a chemical cleanser was more effective for cleaning than either method alone¹⁷. Read the care section on the dentures page for products and storage methods suitable for the material.

For implant-supported options, the tissues around the implants need monitoring as well as the attached teeth. The European Federation of Periodontology guideline recommends a planned programme of supportive care, with regular checks of the tissues around the implants¹⁸. Before choosing treatment, ask how to clean it each day and what follow-up appointments you will need. If you are travelling for treatment, discuss how follow-up will be arranged with your dentist at home.

See a dentist if your removable denture causes pain, slips, does not fit or is broken⁶. Have its fit checked instead of using more adhesive; adhesive cannot compensate for a poorly fitting denture⁴.

If toothache is accompanied by swelling of the face or jaw, or a fever, seek urgent dental assessment. A dental abscess needs urgent treatment¹⁹.

Swelling that makes breathing, speaking or swallowing difficult; a swollen or painful eye or sudden vision problems; extensive swelling inside the mouth; or difficulty opening your mouth require emergency medical help¹⁹. Do not wait for a dental appointment. Go to an emergency department or call your local emergency number. In Turkey, call 112.

Ask for the scope of your plan in writing. Check whether it includes:

• The type and material of the crown, bridge or denture, and which teeth will be restored or replaced
• Any fillings, root canal treatment, gum treatment or extractions needed beforehand
• For implant-supported options, the implants, attachment components and any additional bone support needed
• Temporary crowns, bridges or dentures
• Follow-up appointments, adjustments, re-cementing, relining, repairs and replacement components

Ask why each option is recommended, why alternatives have been ruled out and whom to contact if a problem develops.

Before travelling, ask for the proposed visits, any healing periods and the aftercare arrangements in writing. Request copies of your treatment records, the materials used and the aftercare plan to share with your dentist at home. Clarify who would provide and charge for adjustments or repairs after you return. Care after you return home is usually with your own dentist, so check the rules of the health service or insurer in the country where you live.