Implant Surgery & Support
Dental implants vs. bridges
Two ways to replace a missing tooth, with genuinely different consequences for the teeth beside it and the bone beneath it.
A bridge spans a gap by crowning the teeth on either side and suspending a replacement tooth between them. An implant replaces the missing root itself and stands alone.
The distinction sounds academic until you consider what each does to the rest of your mouth over twenty years.
Side by side
- ✓ Adjacent teeth — an implant requires no alteration; a bridge requires both neighbours to be prepared and crowned
- ✓ Bone preservation — an implant stimulates and retains bone; a bridge allows the bone beneath the gap to keep resorbing
- ✓ Longevity — implants last 25 years and often a lifetime; bridges typically last 10 to 15 years
- ✓ Cost for a single tooth — implants $3,500 to $6,000; bridges $2,000 to $4,000
- ✓ Timeline — implants take 3 to 6 months; a bridge is completed in 2 to 3 appointments
Three things that should decide it
Adjacent Tooth Health
If the teeth either side of the gap already need crowns, a bridge costs you nothing extra in healthy tooth structure. If they are pristine, cutting them down to carry a bridge is a genuine loss.
Jawbone Quality
Where bone is already reduced, an implant may need grafting first — which adds time and cost. Where bone is good, an implant preserves it going forward.
Your Priorities
A bridge is faster and cheaper today. An implant costs more and takes longer but usually costs less across twenty years and does less collateral damage.
Common questions
What if I don't have enough bone for an implant? +
Bone grafting can usually rebuild the site. It adds three to six months before placement, and it is frequently what makes an implant possible for patients told otherwise.
Why is an implant more expensive? +
You are paying for a surgical procedure, a titanium fixture, 3D planning, and a custom restoration — against a bridge, which is a laboratory-made appliance fitted to prepared teeth.
How long is recovery from an implant? +
Most patients are back to normal activities within days. The lengthy part is integration, which happens quietly over three to six months while you get on with life.
Does implant surgery hurt? +
Placement is done under local anesthesia with IV sedation available. Most patients report considerably less discomfort than they expected.
Which would you recommend for me? +
It depends on the health of your adjacent teeth, your bone, and your priorities. We will tell you honestly — including when a bridge is the better answer.
Questions about your procedure?
Book a consultation for a recommendation based on your actual mouth. Call (905) 479-7777.