How Much Does a Dental Bridge Cost in the UK?

By the team at Bollington Dental Practice, under the clinical direction of Dr Ellie Burrows, Principal Dentist. Updated August 2026.

A bridge is often the quiet middle option for a missing tooth: less than an implant, more permanent than a denture. Here is what one costs and when it is genuinely the right choice.

The short answer

A private dental bridge in the UK typically costs £700 to £2,500 depending on how many units are involved and the material used. At Bollington Dental Practice a bridge is £1,175 for two units and £1,850 for three units, with the exact figure given in writing before we start. On the NHS a bridge falls into Band 3, currently £332.10 in England.

Considering a bridge? Crowns and bridges at Bollington Dental Practice start from £600, planned and fitted ten minutes from Macclesfield. See our crowns and bridges page, or dental implants if you would rather not involve the neighbouring teeth.

Why prices vary so much

• How many units. A bridge is priced by unit, not by gap. A three-unit bridge is a false tooth with a crown either side of it, so you are paying for three pieces of laboratory work even though you are replacing one tooth.
• The type of bridge. A conventional bridge takes support from the teeth on both sides, which means preparing them. An adhesive bridge bonds a wing to the back of one neighbouring tooth and takes away almost no tooth at all, which makes it a good option for a missing front tooth.
• The material. Same as with a crown: metal-bonded is strong and well proven, all-ceramic looks better where it shows. Front bridges take more laboratory skill to match.
• The condition of the supporting teeth. A bridge is only as sound as the teeth holding it up. If those teeth need work first, that adds to the plan.

Bridge, implant or denture?

All three replace a missing tooth and they suit different situations.

• A bridge is fixed, feels natural quickly and is done in a few weeks. The trade-off is that it usually involves preparing healthy teeth either side, and if one of those teeth later fails, the whole bridge is affected.
• An implant replaces the root as well as the tooth and leaves the neighbouring teeth untouched, which is why it is often the best long-term answer. It costs more, from £3,000 here including the restoration, and takes months rather than weeks.
• A denture is the lowest cost and the quickest, from £625 for acrylic. It comes in and out, which some people never get used to and others find perfectly fine.

If your neighbouring teeth already have large fillings or crowns, a bridge makes a lot of sense, because those teeth need covering anyway. If they are pristine, an implant is usually the kinder choice.

What about the NHS?

Bridges sit in Band 3, currently £332.10 in England, which is substantially less than private treatment. NHS provision focuses on function and there is less scope for material choice, particularly at the back. Availability is the practical obstacle, and we are not currently able to accept new NHS patients.

Want the full picture on prices? Our treatment cost checker shows every published fee, what each includes, and what plan members save, and builds you an estimate in under a minute.

NHS, typical private and our price compared at a glance

NHS charges shown are the England band charges for 2026. We are not able to take on new NHS adult patients at present, and our own prices are confirmed in a written plan before any treatment begins. Every fee is listed on our fees page and in our treatment cost checker.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a dental bridge last?

Ten to fifteen years is a fair expectation and many last longer. What ends a bridge is almost always decay or gum disease affecting a supporting tooth rather than the bridge itself breaking, which is why cleaning underneath it properly matters so much.

How do you clean under a bridge?

With floss threaders or interdental brushes designed to pass beneath the false tooth. Ordinary flossing cannot get under it because the units are joined. Your hygienist will show you the technique, and it takes about a minute a day.

Is a bridge better than an implant?

Not better, different. A bridge is quicker, cheaper and does not need surgery. An implant preserves the neighbouring teeth and the bone underneath, and usually lasts longer. The right answer depends on the state of the teeth either side of your gap, which is what the examination is for.

Will a bridge look natural?

A well-made bridge is very hard to spot. The difficulty is not the false tooth itself but matching the shade of the crowns to the teeth around them, which is where laboratory skill earns its money. For a front tooth we take our time over the shade rather than rushing it.

If you have a gap you are unsure what to do about, come and talk it through. Call us on 01625 574609; we will lay out all the options with honest costs, and every price is on our fees page.

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