The Average Cost for a Dental Bridge

Adult teeth are sometimes lost due to injury, lack of proper dental care, gum disease or certain illnesses. The gap left by a lost tooth can be repaired by the installation of a dental bridge.

Identification

• A bridge, as the name implies, fills the gap left by the missing tooth. Two crowns are made for the teeth on each side of the gap, and a false tooth is anchored between them. They are made of metal, ceramic, porcelain or a combination of these materials.

Types

• According to WebMd.com, there are three types of dental bridges. The most common are traditional bridges made from porcelain and fused to ceramics or metal. A resin-bonded bridge--Maryland Bridge--uses plastic teeth and gums attached to metal framework and anchored to the natural teeth. Sometimes adjacent teeth are present on only one side of the gap. In this situation a Cantilever bridge is used.

Cost

• According to Robert Cardwell, D.D.S., the cost of dental bridges varies widely depending on where the work is preformed and the type of bridge needed. According to Animated-Teeth.com, a single unit--a bridge used to replace the gap of one tooth--made of porcelain and fused to precious or non-precious metal, will average between $740 to $1350. An all metal, single unit containing gold or other precious metals will have an average price of $730 to $1350. A similar unit made without precious metals will cost between $660 and $1200 and an all ceramic single unit between $810 and $1500.