Traditional bridge
Crowns on the teeth either side of the gap hold the replacement tooth between them. Strong and well established, but both neighbours have to be prepared for crowns.
Replacing a missing tooth
Dental Bridges in Dubai
A fixed bridge fills a gap with a ceramic tooth held by the teeth or implants beside it. We explain every type, and what each one asks of your neighbouring teeth, before you choose.
- Bridge and implant options compared
- Made in our own lab
- Written plan with alternatives
The consultation compares bridge, implant and removable options for your gap in writing.
One piece, several teethA bridge is designed and checked as a single unit across the gap.
Quick answer
What is a dental bridge?
A dental bridge is a fixed replacement for one or more missing teeth: an artificial tooth (the pontic) joined to crowns or wings that attach to the teeth on either side, or to dental implants. Unlike a denture it is not removed. At Creative Arts, the dentist chooses the bridge type for your gap and the bridge is made in our own laboratory in Jumeirah.
27 yearsIn-house dental laboratory in the same building
Written planItemised treatment plan before you commit
Open daily10:00–20:00, seven days a week
Jumeirah 3614 Jumeira St, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
Types of bridge
The four main types of dental bridge
Which one suits you depends on where the gap is, the condition of the teeth beside it and your bite. The dentist recommends a type after the examination; these are the options in general terms.
Cantilever bridge
The replacement tooth is held from one side only. Used in selected cases, often at the front, where one neighbour is suitable and the bite is light.
Resin-bonded (Maryland) bridge
A thin wing bonded to the back of a neighbouring tooth holds the replacement. Very little or no drilling, but it depends on bonding and suits front teeth with a gentle bite.
Implant-supported bridge
Implants, not natural teeth, carry the bridge. Used when several teeth are missing in a row; the neighbouring teeth are left untouched.
The honest trade-off
Bridge, implant or removable denture: how they compare
A bridge is a good, proven option. Its main cost is biological: a traditional bridge needs healthy neighbouring teeth to be reduced for crowns.
| Traditional bridge | Single implant | Removable partial denture | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neighbouring teeth | Prepared for crowns | Left untouched | Clasps may rest on them |
| Bone under the gap | Continues to shrink slowly | Load helps preserve it | Continues to shrink |
| Surgery needed | No | Yes, plus healing time | No |
| Typical treatment time | A few weeks | Several months | A few weeks |
| Cleaning | Floss threaded under the bridge | Like a natural tooth | Removed to clean |
| Upfront cost | Moderate | Usually highest | Lowest |
If the neighbouring teeth already have large fillings or crowns, crowning them as part of a bridge costs them less, and a bridge becomes a stronger option. If they are untouched, an implant often makes more sense. Read the full implants vs bridges guide.
Candidacy
When a bridge is a sensible choice, and when to look at implants
A bridge often makes sense
- The teeth beside the gap already need crowns or have large fillings
- Implant surgery is not wanted, or medical factors make it less suitable
- There is not enough bone for an implant and grafting is not wanted
- A shorter treatment time matters to you
- A front gap with a light bite, where a resin-bonded bridge can avoid drilling
Consider an implant or another option
- The neighbouring teeth are healthy and unfilled — an implant leaves them alone
- The supporting teeth have weak roots or gum disease — gum treatment first, and they may not be suitable
- A long gap with no tooth at one end — usually implants or a removable option
- Heavy grinding without a night guard plan
The process
How a traditional bridge is made and fitted
Most bridges need two to three visits over a few weeks. If a tooth has only just been extracted, the gum is normally left to heal first so the replacement tooth sits well against it.
Examination & X-rays
The supporting teeth, their roots, the gum and your bite are assessed, and the alternatives are written into your plan.
Visit 1Preparation & scan
Under local anaesthetic the supporting teeth are shaped, then recorded with an intraoral scanner.
Visit 2Temporary bridge
A temporary bridge protects the prepared teeth and fills the gap while the final one is made.
Same visitMade in our lab
The bridge is designed as one piece, usually in zirconia, and hand-finished for shade where it shows.
In our labFitting & review
Fit, bite and the space for cleaning under the bridge are checked before it is cemented. You are shown how to clean it.
Visit 3
From dentist to dental lab
A bridge is several teeth that have to work as one
A bridge has to fit two or more teeth at once, carry a replacement tooth that sits gently on the gum, and leave room to clean underneath. It is designed as a single piece in our laboratory, in the same building as the clinic, so the technician can check shade against your natural teeth and make small adjustments at try-in without sending the bridge away.
- 1Consultation & records — examination, photographs and the radiographs your case needs
- 2Digital scan — an intraoral scan replaces impression trays for most cases
- 3Design — the restoration or smile is designed digitally and reviewed with you
- 4Lab fabrication — milled from ceramic, then hand-finished for shade and texture
- 5Try-in — shade, shape and fit checked in your mouth, adjusted in-house if needed
- 6Placement & review — bonded or cemented, bite balanced, reviewed afterwards
Aftercare
How to clean under a bridge, and why it matters
Ordinary floss cannot pass between the teeth of a bridge because they are joined. Plaque that collects under the replacement tooth and at the edges of the supporting crowns is the main reason bridges fail — through decay of a supporting tooth or gum disease around it.
- Floss threaders or superfloss pass under the replacement tooth so you can clean its underside and the sides of the supporting teeth.
- Interdental brushes clean the gaps beside the supporting crowns; your hygienist will size them.
- A water flosser helps if threading is difficult, though it does not replace mechanical cleaning.
Regular check-ups and professional cleaning let small problems at the edges be caught early. With that care, bridges commonly last 10 to 15 years or more.
Cost
What decides the cost of a bridge
A bridge is priced by the number of units — each supporting crown plus each replacement tooth — and by what the supporting teeth need first. Our crown and bridge cost guide explains how to compare quotes.
- Number of unitsA three-unit bridge (two crowns and one replacement tooth) is the most common.
- Type of bridgeResin-bonded, traditional and implant-supported bridges involve very different work.
- Supporting teethRoot canal treatment, build-ups or gum treatment are itemised separately.
- Material and visibilityA front bridge needs more hand-finishing than one at the back.
Who treats you
Dentists who plan bridges and implant restorations
The same dentists plan bridges and implants, so the comparison you receive is not tilted towards one of them.
Patient questions
Frequently asked questions
Is a bridge or an implant better for a missing tooth?
Neither is better for everyone. An implant leaves the neighbouring teeth untouched and helps preserve bone, but needs surgery and several months. A bridge is quicker and avoids surgery, but a traditional bridge needs the neighbouring teeth reduced for crowns. If those teeth already need crowns, a bridge often makes good sense.
Does getting a bridge hurt?
The teeth are prepared under local anaesthetic, so you should feel pressure rather than pain. Afterwards the gums and teeth can be tender or sensitive to cold for a few days, which is usually managed with over-the-counter pain relief.
How long does a dental bridge last?
With daily cleaning under the bridge and regular check-ups, 10 to 15 years or more is common. Bridges usually fail because a supporting tooth decays or its gum becomes diseased, not because the ceramic breaks, which is why cleaning underneath matters so much.
Can I get a bridge straight after an extraction?
A temporary bridge or other temporary tooth can often be fitted while you heal. The final bridge is usually made after the gum and bone have settled, often a few months after the extraction, so the replacement tooth sits properly against the healed gum.
What is a Maryland bridge?
A Maryland, or resin-bonded, bridge holds the replacement tooth with a thin wing bonded to the back of a neighbouring tooth. It needs little or no drilling, but it relies on the bond and suits front teeth with a gentle bite. If it comes loose it can often be re-bonded.
Can food get stuck under a bridge?
Some food can collect under the replacement tooth, which is why the underside is shaped to sit smoothly against the gum and you are shown how to clean it. Floss threaders, interdental brushes or a water flosser keep the area clean.
Keep exploring
Related treatments
GuideImplants vs bridgesWhich is better for a missing tooth, compared honestly.ImplantsDental implants in DubaiReplacing a tooth without touching its neighbours.CrownsDental crownsThe crowns that support a traditional bridge.ConditionMissing teethEvery option for a gap, from simplest to most complex.CostCrown and bridge costWhat decides the price of a bridge.GuideImplants vs denturesFor several or all missing teeth.TreatmentFull mouth rehabilitationBridges as part of a whole-mouth plan.Lab workImplant restorationsWho makes the teeth on your implants, and how.
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Tell us what you would like to change. The clinic replies within working hours with an appointment time.
- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
- Opening hoursClinic open daily, 10:00–20:00
- Phone+971 4 342 4444 · WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537
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A consultation ends with a diagnosis and a written, itemised plan — not a sales pitch. Book online, message us on WhatsApp, or call the clinic.