Top image: AI-generated illustration.
You’ve lost a tooth, or you’re about to have one taken out, and your dentist has mentioned a bridge. You might be picturing something big and complicated. You might also be wondering how it differs from an implant or a denture, what it costs, and how you’d clean around it.
Here’s the short answer. The Australian Dental Association (ADA) says a dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth, most commonly by placing crowns on the teeth either side of the gap and joining them to a false tooth in the middle. Ellen Stirling Dental in Ellenbrook offers dental bridges, and its bridges page says the procedure usually takes two dental visits.
Summary of the Content
- A bridge fills a gap by joining a false tooth (a pontic) to support on one or both sides.
- Ellen Stirling Dental’s page describes four types: traditional, cantilever, Maryland and implant-supported.
- Getting a bridge usually takes two visits, with a temporary bridge in between.
- The clinic’s page gives a guide of $2,000 to $5,000 for a bridge, and up to $9,000 for an implant-supported bridge.
- Cleaning under the false tooth needs floss threaders, super floss or a water flosser.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
The ADA explains that if you have a tooth removed, your dentist may suggest a dental bridge as a replacement option. Most commonly, the treatment involves placing a crown on the teeth that sit directly in front of and behind the gap. These crowns are joined together by another crown that acts as a false tooth.
Ellen Stirling Dental’s bridges page uses the same idea in plain terms: bridges are dental prostheses that imitate the form, function and appearance of natural teeth. It says traditional bridges consist of one fake tooth, commonly called a pontic, which is attached to a dental crown on each side.
The ADA says bridges can be made from porcelain, zirconia, gold alloy or a combination of porcelain and metal. Ellen Stirling Dental says its bridges are custom-made by local dental technicians in Perth.
What Types of Bridges Are There?
Ellen Stirling Dental’s bridges page lists four basic types:
| Type | How it’s held in place |
|---|---|
| Traditional bridge | A false tooth attached to a crown on each side of the gap; mainly used for premolars and molars at the back of the mouth |
| Cantilever bridge | Supported by a natural tooth on one side of the gap only; usually used for front teeth, as the clinic says it’s not strong enough to hold molars |
| Maryland bridge | A metal or porcelain framework attached to the backs of the teeth on each side, rather than crowns; typically used for front teeth |
| Implant-supported bridge | Held in place by dental implants rather than crowns or frames |
Which one suits you depends on where the gap is, how healthy the teeth beside it are, and your bite. That’s something your dentist works out at the assessment.
How Does Getting a Bridge Work?
Ellen Stirling Dental’s page describes two visits.
First visit: preparing the teeth
- A local anaesthetic may be given so you are comfortable during the procedure.
- Your dentist shapes the supporting teeth (called abutment teeth).
- Impressions are taken and sent to a dental laboratory, where your bridge is made.
- A temporary bridge is placed over the shaped teeth and the gap while the final bridge is being made.
The ADA describes the same steps, and adds that the temporary bridge is an acrylic (plastic) bridge temporarily glued to the reshaped teeth to protect them.
If the teeth next to the gap aren’t strong enough to support a bridge, the clinic says dental implants may be placed in the jawbone to support it instead.
Second visit: fitting the bridge
- A local anaesthetic is given if there is any sensitivity or pain, and the temporary bridge is removed.
- Your dentist cleans your teeth.
- Your dentist takes X-rays to confirm that the bridge fits properly.
- The bridge is glued to your teeth with dental cement.
Bridge, Implant or Denture: What’s the Difference?
The ADA is clear that a bridge is just one option available to replace a missing tooth. Other treatments include partial dentures and dental implants. It says each treatment has benefits, and the benefits of each should be discussed with your dentist.
Ellen Stirling Dental’s bridges page describes the two alternatives like this:
| Option | What it is |
|---|---|
| Bridge | A false tooth joined to support from the neighbouring teeth or implants |
| Partial denture | One or more false teeth on a plastic and metal framework that clips around your natural teeth |
| Dental implant | A post surgically placed in the jawbone to replace the tooth root, with a crown held on top by an abutment |
The clinic also notes that your dentist may recommend a dental bridge if you need dental implants but can’t have them for medical reasons. If you’re weighing up an implant as well, the clinic has a page on single implants.
When Might You Need a Bridge?
Ellen Stirling Dental says you may need a dental bridge after a tooth extraction or tooth loss due to tooth decay, trauma or gum disease. Its page says bridges are suited to filling gaps of one or two teeth between two healthy teeth.
What Does a Bridge Cost?
Ellen Stirling Dental’s bridges page says the cost depends on the number of teeth that need to be replaced, the bridge type, how complex the placement is, and whether further dental treatment is needed. As a guide, the page says treatment can cost anything from $2,000 to $5,000, and an implant-supported bridge can cost up to $9,000.
Healthdirect says there are no standard fees for dentists like there are for doctors, and each clinic determines their own fees. Before you agree to treatment, it suggests asking how much the procedure will cost, asking for the item numbers so you can compare prices, and asking whether there are less expensive alternatives.
On paying for it, healthdirect says most dental care is not covered by Medicare. It lists bridgework under “major dental” in the extras part of private health insurance, and notes that policies vary widely, with limits on how much you can claim each year. Ellen Stirling Dental lists payment options including health funds, Afterpay, Zip, Openpay and SuperCare on its payment options page.
How Do You Look After a Bridge?
Caring for a bridge is mostly about cleaning the spot under the false tooth. The ADA explains that because the crowns that make a bridge are joined together, floss cannot be passed between those teeth. It says your dentist should show you how best to clean beneath your bridge, which may involve super floss, floss threaders or interdental brushes.
Ellen Stirling Dental’s page gives similar advice. It says the area where the false tooth rests on the gums is hard to clean and can build up plaque, so it suggests brushing at least twice a day, flossing beneath the bridge regularly and rinsing with mouthwash. It lists floss threaders, super floss or water flossers as the tools for the job.
On eating, the clinic says that while the temporary bridge is in place, avoid sticky or chewy foods (such as gum and lollies) and hard foods (such as nuts and ice cubes), and chew on the opposite side of your mouth. After the final bridge is placed, it says to avoid sticky or hard foods for at least 24 hours.
The ADA adds an important reminder: having a bridge does not mean no treatment will ever be needed again. The teeth can still be damaged by tooth decay, and bridges can chip, fracture or no longer match the colour of your teeth and need to be replaced.
Your Bridge Appointment Checklist
Take these questions to your assessment:
- Is a bridge suitable for this gap, or would an implant or partial denture suit it better?
- Which type of bridge are you recommending, and why?
- Are the teeth either side healthy enough to support it?
- How many visits will it take, and how long is each appointment?
- What will I need to do while the temporary bridge is in?
- What should my quote include, and which item numbers should I check with my health fund?
- How do I clean under the bridge, and can you show me?
- How often should I come back for a check-up?
Booking at Ellen Stirling Dental
Ellen Stirling Dental is at 48 Ellen Stirling Parade, Ellenbrook. It’s open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm and Saturday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
At your first visit, your dentist looks at the gap, the teeth either side and your bite, then explains which options suit you. Bring your health fund card, a list of any medicines you take, and any recent X-rays or quotes if you have them.
Call (08) 6192 1036 or contact the clinic. If you’re not sure what to say, try: “I’ve got a gap from a missing tooth. Can I book an appointment to talk about whether a bridge would suit me?”
Frequently Asked Questions
How many teeth can a bridge replace?
Ellen Stirling Dental’s page says bridges are suited to filling gaps of one or two teeth between two healthy teeth. The ADA says a bridge replaces one or more missing teeth. Your dentist can tell you what’s possible for your gap.
Does getting a bridge hurt?
The clinic says a local anaesthetic may be given at the first visit so you’re comfortable, and again at the second visit if there is any sensitivity or pain. It notes some people may have gum swelling or soreness afterwards.
Can I floss with a bridge?
Not in the usual way between the joined teeth. The ADA says floss can’t pass between the crowns of a bridge, so your dentist should show you how to clean beneath it with super floss, floss threaders or interdental brushes.
Final Thoughts
A bridge is one of several ways to fill a gap from a missing tooth. It uses the teeth beside the gap, or implants, to hold a false tooth in place, and it usually takes two visits. Whether it suits you depends on the gap, the neighbouring teeth and your bite, so the first step is an assessment. Take the checklist, ask about the alternatives, and make sure you leave knowing how to clean under it.
Written by Dr. Rachit Shah, General Dentist, Ellen Stirling Dental.
Sources
Checked 30 October 2026. This article explains general published guidance and the clinic’s own published information, not advice about your teeth.
- Australian Dental Association: Crowns, bridges and veneers.
- Healthdirect: Cost of dental care (last reviewed October 2023).
- Ellen Stirling Dental: Dental bridges, Single implants, Payment options, Dr. Rachit Shah and Contact us.
- Photos in this article are AI-generated illustrations, not photos of Ellen Stirling Dental, its staff or patients.
