Dental Bridges

Problems a bridge can address

• A gap left by one missing tooth, or by a few missing teeth next to each other. The bridge fills the space and helps with chewing and appearance.
• Neighbouring teeth that need crowns anyway. The teeth next to the gap already have large fillings or need crowns. The reduction done for the bridge then overlaps with treatment those teeth need anyway.
• Wanting a fixed tooth without surgery. A bridge needs no surgery and does not come out.

When a bridge is considered

• One tooth, or a few teeth next to each other, are missing. There are sound teeth and healthy gums at both ends of the gap.
• You do not want surgery, or cannot have it. You also do not want a removable tooth.

When another option is considered

• The neighbouring teeth are sound and have no fillings. A conventional bridge removes healthy tissue from these teeth. If suitable, a resin-bonded bridge or an implant is discussed.
• The supporting teeth have untreated decay or gum disease. These are treated first. See the gum disease treatment page for details. If the teeth cannot carry a bridge, a different plan is made.
• The gap is long, or there is no tooth at one end. There may not be enough teeth to carry a bridge. In that case, an implant or a partial denture is discussed.
• You clench or grind your teeth. Your dentist takes this into account when designing the bridge and deciding whether you need a night guard.

Types of bridge

• Conventional bridge. The teeth on either side of the gap are reduced on every surface and crowned. The artificial tooth is attached to these two crowns. No surgery is needed. The tooth tissue removed does not grow back. This matters most when the neighbouring teeth are sound and have no fillings. If these teeth need crowns anyway, the balance changes. Crowns on single teeth are covered on the dental crowns page.
• Resin-bonded bridge (Maryland bridge). The artificial tooth has a thin wing at its side. This wing is bonded to the inner surface of the neighbouring tooth. Some types have a single wing bonded to one neighbouring tooth only. The tooth needs little or no drilling, and no surgery is needed. Depending on your bite, it suits some single-tooth gaps. It can come loose and may need to be bonded again. The reviews this page draws on give no survival rate for these bridges.
• Conventional cantilever bridge. The artificial tooth is attached to a tooth on one side only. This supporting tooth is reduced and crowned. In a 2007 review, about 80 in every 100 bridges supported from one side were still in the mouth after ten years¹. For bridges supported at both ends, the figure was about 89¹. These two rates come from separate groups of studies. The review's authors regard this design as a second choice.

Materials

Bridges are made from metal-ceramic (porcelain on a metal framework) or from all-ceramic materials, such as zirconia or lithium disilicate glass-ceramic. A 2026 review of 41 studies looked at metal-ceramic and all-ceramic bridges. After five years, about 91 in every 100 metal-ceramic bridges were in place, against about 83 of lithium disilicate glass-ceramic bridges². This difference was significant. Decay at the edges and loosening were more common with all-ceramic bridges². So it cannot be said that all ceramics last equally well. Your dentist will recommend a material based on where the gap is and on your bite.

• Doing nothing. If a single back tooth is missing, leaving the gap is also an option. One study followed 116 untreated gaps at the back of the mouth on X-rays. On average, the gap changed by less than 1 millimetre in the first year³. The gap narrowed fastest in the first two years; after that, movement was mostly slow and small within the period the study covered. When the front teeth and premolars are in place and only molars at the back are missing, this is called a shortened dental arch. A review of adults in this situation reported that not replacing the missing molars was promising for chewing and satisfaction⁴. On the other hand, tooth loss has been linked with poorer oral health-related quality of life⁵. This is an association; it has not been shown to be the cause. If you leave the gap, have it monitored at regular check-ups.
• Partial denture. It is removable and needs no surgery. The supporting teeth usually need little or no drilling. In a review of 46 studies, of every 100 cast-clasp partial dentures, about 95 were still in use after five years⁶. The denture's effect on the supporting teeth, and more details, are on the dentures page.
• Implant. An implant is placed in the jawbone in place of the missing tooth, and a crown is made on top. The neighbouring teeth are not touched. It is a surgical procedure, and there is a wait while the bone heals. A review of 46 studies looked at implants carrying a single crown. Of every 100 implants, about 97 were in the mouth after five years and 95 after ten⁷. The crown on the implant is a separate part. In the same review, of every 100 crowns, about 96 were in use after five years and 89 after ten⁷. Staying in the mouth does not mean trouble-free use. A 2007 review found no study⁸ that compared a single implant directly with a bridge. So these rates do not show which is better for you. The types of problem also differ. With bridges, decay and nerve problems in the supporting teeth are more common. With teeth on implants, technical problems such as screw loosening and porcelain chipping were significantly more common¹. Gum problems and bone loss⁷ can also occur around an implant. An implant usually needs more than one trip. See the dental implants page for details.

The steps below are for a conventional bridge. After the examination, your dentist plans how many appointments you need and how much time passes between them. How the appointments fit a trip is covered in "If you are coming from abroad".

For a resin-bonded bridge, the supporting tooth needs little or no drilling. The wing is bonded to the inner surface of the tooth.

Risks and complications

The figures in this list come from published studies, not from our own records.

• Tissue loss that cannot be undone. In a conventional bridge, the supporting teeth are reduced on every surface. The enamel and dentine removed do not grow back. These teeth will depend on a crown for life.
• Decay and loss of nerve vitality in the supporting teeth. In long-term studies, the main problems with conventional bridges were decay and loss of vitality of the nerve¹ in the teeth that carry the bridge. In a 2004 review, of every 100 bridges, about 3 were lost over ten years because of decay in the supporting teeth⁹.
• The tooth's nerve. The pooled results of 37 studies cover teeth that were vital at the start. These teeth were then treated with indirect restorations such as crowns, partial restorations or bridge supports. In about 5 in every 100 of these teeth¹⁰, the pulp died. The pulp is the living tissue inside the tooth, often called the nerve. Studies that followed teeth for more than ten years found about 7 in 100. The certainty of the evidence is low. If this happens, root canal treatment is needed to keep the tooth.
• Coming loose. In the same 2004 review, about 6 in every 100 bridges lost their cement bond⁹ over ten years. Resin-bonded bridges can also come loose. If a bridge is loose or has come out, the dentist looks for the cause and examines the supporting teeth.
• Fracture. The porcelain can crack or chip. Clenching raises this risk. A supporting tooth can also break; the bridge may then need replacing, or a different treatment may be needed.
• Gums. A crown edge that fits poorly at the gum line can cause gum inflammation. If the area under the bridge is not cleaned, plaque builds up there.
• Sensitivity. Temporary sensitivity to cold and heat is common after preparation. If it lasts or gets worse, it is assessed.

Benefits

• It is fixed; it does not come out.
• It needs no surgery.
• It fills the space of the missing tooth and helps with chewing and appearance.
• If the supporting teeth need crowns anyway, they are restored in the same treatment.

Limitations

• It depends on the supporting teeth. They must be sound enough to carry the bridge, and they need to stay healthy for the bridge to last.
• It does not suit every gap. A long gap, or a gap with no tooth at one end, may not have enough teeth to carry a bridge.
• It cannot be taken out for cleaning. The area under the artificial tooth has to be cleaned every day with bridge floss or an interdental brush.
• A conventional bridge cannot be undone. Once the supporting teeth have been reduced, they will always need a crown or a bridge.

The first days

Until the anaesthetic wears off, take care not to bite your cheek or lip. There may be sensitivity to cold and heat in the first few days. If you have a temporary bridge, avoid hard and sticky foods. A new bridge can feel unfamiliar at first. If it feels high when you bite together, or the bite feels uneven, tell your dentist; the bite can be adjusted.

Cleaning under the bridge

A toothbrush cannot reach between the underside of the artificial tooth and the gum. Clean this area every day with bridge floss, with ordinary floss passed through with a floss threader, or with a small interdental brush. Bridge floss is a special floss with one stiff end that can be passed under the bridge. Your dentist or a member of the dental team will show you which suits your bridge.

In studies of cleaning between the teeth, floss and interdental brushes used in addition to toothbrushing may reduce plaque and gum inflammation¹¹. However, the certainty of the evidence is low. These studies did not look at cleaning under bridges separately.

Care and maintenance

• Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. Clean carefully where the crown edge meets the gum.
• Do not bite on hard objects such as ice, pens or fingernails.
• If you clench or grind your teeth, a night guard may be recommended.
• Go for regular check-ups. The crown edges, the supporting teeth and the gums are checked, and X-rays are taken when needed. These check-ups are likely to be with a dentist where you live.

The rates below, from published studies and not from our own records, describe how long bridges stay in the mouth. They do not mean that no problems occurred during that time. They are averages across many studies and do not predict the outcome for any one person. A bridge has no fixed lifespan.

Conventional bridge. In a 2004 review that pooled 19 studies, of every 100 bridges, about 89 were still in the mouth after ten years⁹. In the same review, about 71 in every 100 bridges had no problems and needed no repair⁹ over ten years. This second rate rests on only four studies, and its uncertainty is wide. These data come from reviews published between 2004 and 2007.

Cantilever bridge. The ten-year rate was lower for bridges supported from one side. The figures are above, under "Bridge types and materials".

Material. The five-year rates by material are above, under "Bridge types and materials".

Resin-bonded bridge. The reviews this page draws on give no rate for these bridges, so no figure is given here.

If you have a bridge, see your dentist about:

• The bridge is loose or has come out (keep it; do not glue it back yourself)
• A bad taste or smell around the bridge
• Pain in one of the supporting teeth, pain when you bite, or pain that starts with heat and lingers
• A crack or chip in the crown
• Gums at the edge of the bridge that bleed, swell or pull back
• Sensitivity that lasts longer than a week or gets worse

If you have toothache together with swelling in the gum, face or jaw, or a fever, see a dentist the same day. A dental abscess needs urgent treatment by a dentist¹².

Emergencies. The following need urgent medical help¹². Do not wait for a dental appointment or for the clinic's reply. Go to an emergency department wherever you are. In an emergency, call the emergency number of the country you are in; in Turkey it is 112.

• Swelling that makes it hard to breathe, speak or swallow
• Swelling or pain in the eye, or sudden problems with your sight
• Major swelling inside the mouth, or difficulty opening your mouth

Also get urgent medical help if you think you have swallowed or breathed in the bridge or a piece of it.

Before you fly home

Make sure the final bridge has been fitted and the bite checked, and that you have been shown how to clean under it. Have written care instructions and a way to reach the clinic. Take the written record of your treatment with you for your dentist at home. If there is pain, swelling or bleeding where the treatment was done, ask your dentist before you fly.

Once you are home

If the bridge comes loose or out after you have gone home, keep it and do not glue it back yourself. See a dentist where you live. If a problem comes up that is not urgent, you can also write to the clinic and send photographs. Photographs do not replace an examination, so see your dentist at home as well. In the emergencies above, do not wait for a reply.

A conventional bridge is usually made over several appointments, with a laboratory stage between them. The stages are preparing the supporting teeth, an impression or scan with a temporary bridge, a try-in and the fitting. A resin-bonded bridge needs little or no drilling of the supporting tooth. How many days you need in Antalya depends on the type of bridge and how many teeth it spans. It also depends on whether the supporting teeth need fillings, root canal treatment or gum treatment first. Other treatment planned in the same trip changes it too. Ask for the plan to fit the final bridge, and check the bite, before you fly home.

Before you book, you receive a written preliminary plan with the appointments and how many days they need. It is based on your photographs and any X-rays you send. The examination confirms or changes it, and with it the days and the cost. If it changes, you receive the revised plan in writing before treatment starts. You can say no, or ask to stop, at any stage. Once a tooth has been prepared, that step cannot be undone. Whether a supporting tooth needs root canal treatment is sometimes clear only after the examination and an X-ray. So ask the plan to say what would change for your trip if it does.

Flying. A 2023 review of flying after dental treatment suggests waiting at least 24 hours after restorative treatment, and about a week after most dental procedures¹³. These times assume there is no pain, swelling or bleeding where you were treated. Ask your dentist how long to wait after your own treatment. The authors note that the research is limited and comes mainly from military aviation. Treat it as a starting point for your dentist's advice, not as a rule.

Your dentist at home. Talk to your own dentist before you go. They need to know the plan in case problems come up later. If you do not have a dentist where you live, it helps to find one before you travel. Ask for a written record of the treatment to take back to them. It should show the type of bridge and its material, which teeth support it, any teeth treated before it, and copies of your X-rays. In Turkey, the health tourism regulation entitles international patients to an itemised bill. On request, they also get free copies of the records of the materials used, the tests and the imaging¹⁴. The supporting teeth need check-ups for as long as the bridge is in place. UK guidance (NICE) says the interval between check-ups should be set for each person according to their risk¹⁵; agree it with your dentist at home. Before you travel, check the rules of the health service or your insurer in the country where you live about care after treatment abroad.

Questions to ask before you commit. Before you agree to treatment abroad, ask:

1. Who will carry out my treatment, and what are their qualifications?
2. Are you regulated by a professional body and registered with it?
3. Is the work guaranteed, are the terms in writing, and for how long do they apply?
4. What aftercare do you provide, and who can I contact after the treatment?
5. If there are complications, who pays for further treatment, extra flights and the hotel?
6. Do you have a complaints system, and can I see a copy?

A longer list, with our answer to each question, is on our page about dental treatment abroad.

This page carries no prices. The treatment plan is prepared for you after an examination. The main factors that shape it are:

• The type of bridge and how many teeth it spans
• The chosen material
• Any filling, root canal treatment or gum treatment the supporting teeth need before the bridge
• A temporary bridge and X-rays
• Later check-ups, re-cementing or repair
• The number of trips the appointments need

Ask for your plan in writing, including what it covers. Also ask what is covered if the bridge comes out or breaks. And ask who pays for further treatment and extra travel if there is a complication.