Conventional fixed bridge
Crowns on both neighbours with the pontic between. The standard design for a single gap, priced at £995 per unit.
3 units from £2,985
Restorative dentistry · Wimpole Street, Marylebone
Dental bridges in Marylebone: a fixed replacement carried by the teeth either side
A bridge closes a gap by joining a false tooth to crowns on the teeth on one or both sides. It is cemented in place, so nothing comes out at night, and because there is no surgery the whole thing can be finished in a few weeks rather than the months an implant needs. The cost is borne by the anchor teeth, which have to be trimmed for their crowns; that is a fair trade when they already carry big fillings, and a poor one when they are pristine. At Wimpole Street a bridge is priced at £995 per unit, so the common three-unit design is £2,985, and we will tell you if an implant or a Maryland bridge would serve the gap better before any tooth is touched.
- From £995 per unit
- 3-unit bridge £2,985
- 2–3 visits over 2–3 weeks
Suitability
Is it right for you?
A good fit when
- One or two adjacent teeth missing with sound, well-rooted teeth on each side of the gap.
- Anchor teeth that already have large fillings or old crowns, so preparing them costs little extra tooth.
- Patients who cannot or would rather not have implant surgery, for medical reasons or preference.
- A gap that needs filling within weeks, for example before a wedding or a period abroad.
- A failed root-treated tooth where extraction and an immediate bridge keep the smile intact.
Think twice, or choose another route, when
- Healthy, unfilled teeth either side of the gap; drilling them for crowns sacrifices sound enamel when an implant would leave them alone.
- Long spans of four or more missing teeth, where the anchors are overloaded and the bridge flexes.
- Anchor teeth that are loose from gum disease or have short, weak roots.
- A young patient with a long life ahead of the bridge, where the cumulative cost of replacements favours an implant.
- Heavy grinders without a night guard.
The process
How it works at Wimpole Street
- 01
Planning
Radiographs of the anchor teeth confirm their roots and nerves are healthy enough to carry the load. We assess the bite, the length of the span and the gum contour where the false tooth will sit, and agree the material and the written fee.
- 02
Preparation
Under local anaesthetic the anchor teeth are shaped for crowns in the same way a single crown is prepared, keeping the walls parallel so the bridge seats along one path. A scan or impression captures the preparations and the gap.
- 03
Temporary bridge
A resin temporary is fitted so you leave with no gap. It protects the prepared teeth and shows how the final shape will feel and look.
- 04
Laboratory fabrication
The technician builds the bridge as a single piece: two crowns and the pontic between them, in zirconia, layered ceramic or metal-ceramic depending on position and load.
- 05
Try-in and fit
The bridge is tried in, the fit of each crown and the pressure of the pontic on the gum are checked, and the bite is adjusted. Once approved it is cemented, excess cement is cleared and a radiograph confirms the margins.
- 06
Review and hygiene
We show you how to thread floss or use an interdental brush under the pontic, and review the bridge at your next examination.
Choices
Options & materials
Cantilever bridge
Supported from one side only. Useful where there is only one usable anchor or the tooth on the other side is untouched, but limited to light-load positions.
2 units from £1,990
Maryland (resin-bonded) bridge
A pontic on a thin wing bonded to the back of an adjacent tooth, with little or no drilling. Front teeth only.
From £1,030
Implant-supported bridge
The pontics are carried on implants instead of natural teeth, so nothing is drilled and longer spans become possible.
Quoted after the scan
Fees
What it costs
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
Bridge, per unit Each crown or pontic counts as one unit. | From £995 |
Three-unit bridge Two anchor crowns and one false tooth, the usual design. | From £2,985 |
Cantilever bridge Two units: one anchor crown and one pontic. | From £1,990 |
Maryland (resin-bonded) bridge Priced as a single resin-bonded restoration. | From £1,030 |
Root canal on an anchor tooth, if required Only where the nerve is already compromised. | From £695 |
New patient examination Introductory rate; the usual fee is £95. | £30 |
Indicative Wimpole Street fees, the same as at South Kensington and St Paul's. A written plan with the exact figure is agreed before anything is started.
Outcomes
What the result looks like
A finished bridge looks like three teeth standing side by side and functions as one unit. Chewing on it feels natural within a few days, and speech, which can be affected by a front gap, returns to normal. The pontic is shaped to rest lightly against the gum so food does not trap beneath it, while still allowing floss to pass.
Bridges commonly serve ten to fifteen years and a good number reach twenty. The usual reasons for eventual replacement are decay under one of the anchor crowns, a fracture of an anchor tooth or gum recession exposing the margins. What a bridge cannot do is stop the bone under the pontic from slowly shrinking, which is why after many years a small gap can appear beneath it.
Afterwards
Looking after the result
- Use floss threaders or an interdental brush under the pontic every day; this is where bridges are lost to decay.
- Brush twice daily along the gum line of the anchor teeth, where the crown margins sit.
- Avoid very hard or sticky foods with the temporary bridge and, in the first days, with the final one.
- Wear a night guard if you grind; a bridge shares the load of several teeth across two roots.
- Report any movement, a bad taste from beneath the pontic or sensitivity in an anchor tooth promptly.
- Keep six-monthly examinations so the margins can be checked on radiographs periodically.
Informed consent
Risks and honest limitations
Every treatment has trade-offs. These are the ones we discuss at the consultation so that a decision is made with full information rather than after the fact.
- Loss of healthy tooth on the anchors, which is irreversible. If the anchors are sound, an implant or Maryland bridge avoids this.
- Nerve problems in an anchor tooth. Preparing a tooth for a crown carries a five to ten per cent long-term chance that it will later need root canal treatment, which is more awkward through a bridge.
- Decay under a retainer crown, often silent until it has gone some way. It is the commonest reason a bridge fails.
- Fracture of the ceramic or, in long spans, of the framework, particularly in grinders.
- Bone shrinkage beneath the pontic over the years, which can leave a visible gap or trap food.
- If one anchor fails, the whole bridge usually has to come off and be redesigned, so the fate of three teeth is linked.
FAQ
Questions patients ask
A bridge is quicker and avoids surgery, but sacrifices tooth on the neighbours and links their fate together. An implant costs about the same as a three-unit bridge, leaves the neighbours alone and generally lasts longer, but takes months. When the anchor teeth are already heavily filled, a bridge is often the sensible choice.
One or two comfortably; three at a push with strong anchors. Beyond that the span flexes and the anchors are overloaded, and an implant-supported bridge or a partial denture becomes the better option.
Preparation is done under local anaesthetic. Some sensitivity in the anchor teeth for a few weeks afterwards is normal and settles.
Ten to fifteen years is typical and many last longer. Cleaning under the pontic daily and wearing a night guard if you grind are the two factors most within your control.
It is cemented in place, so it stays in unless a dentist removes it. Cutting off an old bridge is straightforward when it needs replacing.
Every crown and every false tooth in the bridge is one unit. A gap of one tooth needs a three-unit bridge; a gap of two teeth needs four units.
Yes. The same clinicians are at South Kensington and St Paul’s now, at the same £995 per unit, and reviews can move to Marylebone from 1 October 2026.
Keep reading
Related treatments and guides
Marylebone, W1
Dental bridge at Wimpole Street from 1 October 2026
Register your interest and we will contact you as soon as the Marylebone diary is live. If you would rather start sooner, the same clinicians already see patients in South Kensington and at St Paul’s.
Opening 1 October 2026
Wimpole Street is not yet seeing patients. Until then, please book or call our South Kensington clinic on 020 7183 2362 or our St Paul's clinic on 020 7183 3709. Questions about the new clinic: wimpolestreet@md.co.uk.
Until we open
Need an appointment before 1 October 2026?
The same clinical team already works from two other Medical & Dental clinics. Book at either one now and, if you prefer, move your ongoing care to Wimpole Street once the doors open.
South Kensington
- 20 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3DL
- Open seven days a week
- 020 7183 2362
St Paul's, City of London
- 5 Ave Maria Lane, London EC4M 7AQ
- Open Monday to Friday
- 020 7183 3709
