Dental Bridges, Broughty Ferry
A Fixed Tooth to Close the Gap
Bridges at our Broughty Ferry practice begin at £675 per unit, and most are completed in two appointments. 1 The false tooth is anchored to the natural teeth on either side of the space, so nothing comes out at night and no surgery is involved.
Conventional bridges cost £695 per unit, with 10% off for plan members. 1 Children and adults are registered and treated on the NHS, with every dentist at the practice, and private care is there if you'd rather.
Understanding Units
A bridge is charged by the unit. Each tooth that forms part of it counts as one, the replacement tooth and the supporting teeth alike.
That means a winged bridge for a single missing front tooth is usually just one unit, a false tooth with a slim metal wing bonded to the back of the tooth next to it. Replacing one back molar with a conventional bridge normally takes three units, a crown on each neighbour with the false tooth between.
Before you commit, your written plan sets out each unit and what it costs.
The Four Steps
Checking the Foundations
The neighbouring teeth, their roots on an X-ray, your gum health and your bite all get looked at, since they determine whether a bridge will last.
Scanning, and Preparing Where Necessary
For a winged bridge we rarely remove more than a whisper of enamel, often none. A conventional bridge means numbing and shaping the supporting teeth. Either way, the iTero Lumina then captures a digital impression.
Fitting
Around a fortnight later the bridge is tried in. We check the shade and the bite together, then cement it in place for good.
Review
A quick appointment to make sure the bite feels right and you're able to clean beneath the false tooth.
The Bridges We Provide
Which design suits you depends on the size of the gap, your bite and the condition of the teeth beside it.
Maryland (Winged) Bridge
A slim wing on the false tooth is bonded to the back of a neighbour. Drilling is minimal or avoided altogether, so it's our first choice for one missing front tooth.
Conventional Bridge
Both neighbouring teeth are crowned and the false tooth sits between the crowns. It copes better with hard chewing, which makes it the pick for back teeth, though the supports give up some enamel.
Immediate Bridge on Extraction Day
A winged bridge placed at the same visit as the extraction, so you never walk out with a space. Once the gum has healed it may be replaced with a definitive bridge.
Long-Term Provisional
For the months an implant takes to heal, or while you decide what to do. From £450.
Implant-Supported Bridge
A run of missing teeth carried on implants instead of natural ones. Read about dental implants.
A Bridge That Has Come Loose
Hang on to it and give us a ring. Provided the teeth beneath are healthy, cleaning and re-cementing it is usually possible (£80).
Bridge, Implant or Denture?
Each of the three closes the gap. Where they differ is price, number of visits and how much they rely on the teeth next door.
| Feature | Bridge | Implant | Partial denture |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stays in? | Yes | Yes | No, removable |
| Any surgery | No | Minor, with local anaesthetic | No |
| Teeth either side | Carry the bridge | Not touched | Hold the clasps |
| Bone beneath the gap | Gradually recedes | Preserved | Gradually recedes |
| How long until done | Around a fortnight | Typically three to four months | Several weeks |
| Starting price | £675 per unit | £2,605 including crown | £565 |
Lifespan of a Bridge
Looked after properly, a bridge commonly lasts ten to fifteen years, and many outlast that. The replacement tooth itself hardly ever fails. What usually ends a bridge is trouble with the supporting teeth, either decay creeping under the crown margins or gum disease at their roots.
A winged bridge relies on its bond to enamel, so it performs best on sound teeth with an ordinary bite. Should the wing debond, we can normally clean it up and bond it again (£80).
There is one drawback worth being upfront about. After a tooth is lost, the bone beneath slowly shrinks, and over the years a small space can appear under the false tooth. Implants stop that happening, which is partly why Dr Sharma might suggest one if you're younger or have only just lost the tooth.
Keeping It Clean
What Bridges Cost
Listed unit by unit in your written plan before any work begins. Members of a dental plan save 10%. Fees checked October 2026. 1
| Winged bridge placed on the day of extraction, each unit | £675 |
| Definitive winged bridge, each unit | £750 |
| Conventional bridge, each unit | £695 |
| Long-term provisional bridge | from £450 |
| Conventional bridge, cleaned and re-cemented | £80 |
| Winged bridge, cleaned and re-bonded | £80 |
| By comparison, a single implant and crown | from £2,605 |
Questions
Units, prices, and whether an implant would be better.
Missing Tooth Guides
A single missing tooth: implant, bridge or denture?
Crown, onlay or filling: picking the right repair for a tooth
What dental implants cost in Broughty Ferry, item by item
Full-arch implants against dentures: a frank comparison
Talk to Us About the Gap
At an examination we'll assess whether the neighbouring teeth can support a bridge, walk you through the alternatives, and put every fee in writing.