Implant, bridge or denture for one missing tooth: which is right?

If you have lost one tooth, you will usually be offered three ways to fill the gap: an implant, a bridge or a small partial denture. Choosing between an implant, bridge or denture for one missing tooth is less about which is “best” in general and more about what is going on in your mouth: the bone under the gap, the teeth either side of it and how you like to clean your teeth. This guide walks through each option the way our dentists explain it in the chair.

First, what happens when a tooth goes

A tooth root sits in a socket of jawbone. Chewing pressure passes down the root and keeps that bone busy. When the root is gone, the bone in that spot slowly shrinks, both in height and in width. The change is fastest in the first months after an extraction and continues more slowly after that.

The teeth around the gap can also move. The neighbours may tip into the space, and the tooth that used to bite against the lost one can drift out of its socket because nothing stops it. None of this happens overnight, and for some gaps it barely happens at all. But it is why your dentist will look at the whole bite, not just the hole.

Keep these three things in mind as you read on: bone, neighbouring teeth and cleaning. They decide most cases.

Option 1: a single dental implant

An implant is a small titanium screw placed into the jawbone where the root used to be. Once the bone has grown onto its surface, a connector (the abutment) and a crown are fitted on top. The crown is fixed in place, so you brush it like a normal tooth.

What it does for bone

Because the implant sits in the bone and takes chewing load, it helps keep the bone around it. It cannot rebuild bone that has already gone, which is why some patients need a bone graft or sinus lift first. Our dentists check this on a 3D CBCT scan before any plan is confirmed.

What it does for neighbouring teeth

Nothing, and that is the main point in its favour. The teeth either side are left exactly as they are. If they are healthy and have never been filled, this matters a great deal.

Cleaning

You brush the crown and clean between it and the next tooth with floss or a small interdental brush, just as you would with natural teeth. Gum health around an implant is important. Inflammation there (peri-implantitis) is the main long-term risk, and it is linked to poor cleaning, smoking and missed check-ups.

Time and trips

An implant takes the longest. With us it means two trips to Antalya. The implant goes in on the first visit, then the bone heals for about 3 months in the lower jaw or 4–6 months in the upper jaw. The crown is fitted on the second visit. You can read the full sequence on our dental implants in Turkey page.

Who it suits

• Healthy neighbouring teeth you would rather not touch
• Enough bone, or willingness to have a graft first
• Good general health and controlled conditions such as diabetes
• Non-smokers, or smokers willing to stop around the surgery
• Time for two visits a few months apart

Option 2: a fixed bridge

A conventional bridge uses the teeth either side of the gap as supports. Those teeth are shaped down and crowned, and a false tooth is joined between the two crowns. The whole unit is cemented in place. Most bridges we make today are zirconia, which is strong and has no metal to show at the gum line. Our zirconia crowns page explains the material.

What it does for bone

A bridge does not sit in the bone, so the bone under the false tooth carries on shrinking slowly. The false tooth is shaped to sit on the gum, and over many years a small space can appear underneath it. This is mostly a cleaning and appearance issue rather than a health risk.

What it does for neighbouring teeth

This is the trade-off. To support the bridge, the two neighbouring teeth lose a layer of their outer surface all the way round. If they are healthy, untouched teeth, that is a real cost. Research has also found that teeth used as bridge supports lose their nerve more often than teeth with a single crown. In one long-term study, about a third of vital bridge-support teeth showed nerve death over roughly 15 years, against under a fifth of single-crowned teeth. If that happens, the tooth needs a root canal treatment through the bridge.

On the other hand, if the neighbouring teeth already have big fillings or old crowns that need replacing anyway, a bridge can be a sensible way to solve several problems at once. That is the situation where we most often recommend one.

Cleaning

You cannot floss between the false tooth and its neighbours in the normal way, because they are joined. You need floss threaders, special floss with a stiff end, or a water flosser to clean under the false tooth. People who do this well keep their bridges for many years. People who skip it are the ones who get decay at the edges of the support crowns.

Time and trips

A bridge can be done in one trip of about 5–7 days. The teeth are prepared and scanned, you wear a temporary bridge for a few days, then the final bridge is fitted and checked.

Option 3: a small partial denture

A partial denture for one tooth is a false tooth attached to a plate that clips onto nearby teeth. It can be acrylic (plastic), a flexible nylon-type material or a thin cobalt-chrome metal frame. You take it out to clean it and usually overnight.

What it does for bone

A denture sits on the gum, so it does not slow down bone loss under the gap. Some pressure from a poorly fitting denture can even speed it up in places.

What it does for neighbouring teeth

Very little drilling is needed, sometimes none. The clasps that hold it rest on neighbouring teeth, and plaque can build up around them, so those teeth need extra care.

Comfort and cleaning

The NHS advises taking dentures out at night and cleaning them daily, as well as brushing your own teeth and gums. Many people find a one-tooth denture fiddly, and some never quite get used to the plate. It is, however, quick, low-cost and fully reversible. It is also a common way to fill a front gap while an implant heals.

Side-by-side comparison

How long does each one last?

None of these is permanent, and anyone who promises otherwise is overselling. With good care, implants and well-made bridges commonly last well beyond ten years. Implant crowns may need replacing at some point even when the implant itself stays healthy. Bridges tend to fail because of what happens to the support teeth, such as decay at the crown edge or a nerve problem, rather than because the bridge itself breaks. Partial dentures usually need relining or replacing every few years as the gum shape changes.

The Oral Health Foundation makes the same point about implants that we make to patients: there is no lifetime promise, but well cared-for implants often last a very long time. Daily cleaning and regular check-ups matter more than any brand name.

Things that push the choice one way

Towards an implant

• Both neighbours are healthy, unfilled teeth.
• The gap is at the front and you want the most natural-looking gum line long term.
• There is already a gap on the other side being considered for an implant too.

Towards a bridge

• The neighbours already need crowns.
• Bone is thin and you would rather avoid a graft.
• You can only manage one trip.
• Medical reasons make surgery less advisable.

Towards a partial denture

• You need a temporary tooth while something else heals.
• Several teeth are missing in different places.
• Budget is the main concern for now.

How we decide with you

We start with a photo of the gap and a recent X-ray, sent on WhatsApp or through our form. One of our dentists looks at it and sends a preliminary written plan with an itemised price. There is nothing to pay at this stage. When you arrive in Antalya, the first day is an examination and a 3D scan, and the final plan is confirmed in writing before any treatment starts. If an implant is chosen, you receive an implant passport and copies of your scans.

If you are not sure where to start, our treatments overview lists every option we offer, and our how it works page explains the two-trip timing in more detail.

Ready for a plan for your gap?

Send us a photo of the space and an X-ray if you have one, and we will tell you honestly which option suits your mouth and why. You can reach us through our contact page or on WhatsApp, and you will get a written plan before you book anything.

Common questions

Is an implant always better than a bridge?

No. If the teeth either side of the gap already have large fillings or old crowns, a bridge can fix three problems in one go. If those teeth are healthy and untouched, an implant usually makes more sense because it does not need them to be cut down.

How long does a single implant take from start to finish?

With us it is two trips. The implant is placed on the first visit, the bone heals for about 3 months in the lower jaw or 4–6 months in the upper jaw, and the crown is fitted on the second visit. See dental implants in Turkey for the full process.

Can I leave the gap and do nothing?

Sometimes, especially for a back tooth that has no opposite tooth biting on it. But neighbouring teeth can tip into the space and the opposite tooth can drift down over time. Ask your dentist to check your bite before deciding.

Is a partial denture for one tooth comfortable?

Many people manage well with one, but it does cover part of the palate or gum and it comes out for cleaning. Most patients find it is the option they get used to least, which is why it is often used while bone heals or while saving up.

What does an implant with a crown cost at your clinic?

Our published price for one implant with a zirconia crown is £450. We confirm your exact plan in writing after seeing an X-ray. See our prices page.

Sources

1. Oral Health Foundation: Dental implants
2. Oral Health Foundation: Bridges
3. NHS: Dentures (false teeth)
4. Cheung et al. Fate of vital pulps beneath a metal-ceramic crown or a bridge retainer. Int Endod J 2005

Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.