Restorative Dentistry
Missing a Tooth? Implants vs. Bridges vs. Dentures, Explained Plainly
There's more than one good way to replace a missing tooth. Here's how implants, bridges and dentures compare on comfort, cost, longevity and what they do for your jawbone.
By Dr. Prabha Raju, DDS · June 30, 2026 · 6 min read
Losing a tooth is common, and replacing it matters more than most people think. A gap lets neighboring teeth drift, changes your bite and, over time, lets the jawbone shrink. The good news: modern dentistry has three solid options, and one of them will fit your mouth, your budget and your life.
Dental implants
An implant is a small titanium post placed in the jaw that acts as a new root, topped with a crown that looks and feels like a natural tooth. Implants don't involve the neighboring teeth, preserve bone, never decay and, with good care, can last a lifetime. They take a few months from start to finish while the bone heals, though for patients missing most of their teeth, Teeth-in-a-Day can deliver a fixed full-arch smile in a single visit.
Bridges
A bridge uses crowns on the teeth either side of the gap to hold a replacement tooth in place. It's quick (a couple of visits), non-surgical and well proven. The trade-off is that the neighboring teeth are reshaped to carry the crowns, and the bone under the gap isn't preserved.
Dentures and partials
Removable dentures replace several or all teeth affordably and without surgery. Today's dentures are lighter and far more natural-looking than the ones your grandparents wore. For stability, many patients choose implant-retained dentures, which snap onto two to four implants and don't slip.
So which one?
- Want the most natural, longest-lasting result and to protect bone? Implant.
- Need a fast, non-surgical fix and the neighboring teeth already have crowns? Bridge.
- Replacing many teeth on a budget, or want stability without a fixed bridge? Denture or implant-retained denture.
Dr. Raju has placed and restored implants in Burton for many years and is a member of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. If you'd like to know which option is right for you, we'll look with 3D imaging and walk you through the choices, no pressure. Call (810) 715-3368 or request a consultation online.
Questions patients ask us
It depends on how many teeth, whether bone grafting is needed and the type of restoration. We give you a written, itemized plan after a 3D scan, and we offer CareCredit financing.
Age alone isn't a barrier. Overall health and bone are what matter, and we evaluate both at your consultation.
For patients missing most or all of their teeth in an arch, Teeth-in-a-Day places implants and a fixed provisional bridge in one visit.
Have a question about your smile? Ask a Burton dentist who listens.
Tender Dental Care welcomes new patients from Burton, Flint, Grand Blanc, Davison and all of Genesee County. Request a visit online or call and a real person will answer during office hours.
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About the author
Dr. Prabha Raju, DDS
Dr. Raju has practiced dentistry in Burton, Michigan since 1997, with advanced training in implants, sedation, laser dentistry and Invisalign.
Meet Dr. Raju →Tender Dental Care, 1024 N. Genesee Rd, Burton, MI 48509. Serving Flint, Grand Blanc, Davison, Flushing, Swartz Creek, Fenton and Genesee County. This article is general information, not a diagnosis; please see a dentist for advice about your own mouth.
