Dental Bridge Cost: Prices With & Without Insurance

A dental bridge is a fixed restoration that fills the gap left by one or more missing teeth by attaching to neighboring teeth or implants. The price you see online covers a wide range of situations. A short bridge replacing one tooth is a different job from a longer span, and an implant-supported option is billed differently than a traditional one.

This guide covers prices by bridge type, add-on charges, state differences, insurance, and repair costs. A licensed dentist decides which kind of bridge fits your mouth; this page covers money only.

Without insurance, you pay the dentist's full fee. The national range from Pearl is $3,010 to $7,900, with a midpoint near $4,620. Authority Dental's figures below are broken out by type of bridge and can look lower, so see the section on estimate differences.

Traditional, cantilever, Maryland, and implant-supported bridges each attach in a different way. A Maryland bridge is typically the lowest-priced of the group, while an implant-supported bridge covers the widest range because it involves implants. Your dentist can explain what each involves.

The type and number of replacement teeth set the price. A bridge replaces a missing tooth with an artificial one, called a pontic. If a bridge replaces more than one tooth, each additional pontic adds to the fee.

Ask the dentist whether the quote includes the crowns on supporting teeth, any temporary bridge, and follow-up visits. Preparatory items, such as an oral exam or the removal of a damaged tooth, are often billed apart from the bridge.

Local prices differ. The averages below show the highest-cost and lowest-cost states in the same Pearl comparison.

These indicate the market. A specialist, a large city, or a practice with its own lab may price above or below its state average.

When two sources publish different ranges, the reasons may include what each counts as a bridge, the data behind it, and the date. A dentist fee survey reflects what offices list for a standard bridge, while a guide that groups all bridge types, including implant-supported ones, will stretch the top of the range much higher. Material (such as porcelain or metal), the number of units, region, and lab costs may all play a part.

These numbers help you size up a budget. The real quote is the written treatment plan from your dentist.

Many dental plans cover part of a bridge, since it is generally treated as a restorative service. The typical arrangement is a percentage of the fee up to an annual maximum, and a waiting period for major services may apply. Some plans also limit how often a bridge can be replaced and may pay for a less costly option than the one you choose.

To avoid surprises:

• Ask your insurer what percentage applies to bridges and what the annual maximum is.
• Ask whether a pre-treatment estimate is available, and request one through the dental office.
• Check for waiting periods and replacement limits.
• Confirm that the dentist is in your plan's network.

Bridges can need repair if a part chips, loosens, or breaks. Repair fees are listed in the table above and vary depending on what is damaged. In some cases a repair is not possible and the bridge has to be replaced, which is a judgment for the dentist. If your bridge is under a warranty, ask the office what it covers and for how long.

Get written estimates from two or three licensed dentists, and ask each the same questions:

• Which type of bridge and material are you quoting?
• How many teeth does the price cover?
• Are crowns, temporaries, x-rays, and follow-up visits included?
• Is any other treatment needed first, and what does it cost?
• Is there a payment plan or financing option?

If you finance the bridge, compare the total repaid, not just the monthly payment. Some offices offer in-house plans, and a health savings account or flexible spending account may be usable too.