Implant, bridge or denture: how they compare

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Services

Current offersNew patient offers

General & familyEveryday dental care

CosmeticVeneers, bonding, whitening

WhiteningIn the chair and at home

OrthodonticsAligners and braces

Implants & surgeryReplace what's missing

What's bothering you?Find care by concern

Current offers

New patientsExam, X-rays and treatment plan$149 Emergency visitSame-day consult and X-rays$69 Single crown gap cappedBack teeth, with major dental cover$800 cap See all offersConsults, kids and more

General & family

General dentistCheck-ups, fillings and X-rays Children's dentistBulk billed under CDBS Emergency dentistSame-day care, Mon to Sat Crown and bridgeFor damaged or missing teeth

Cosmetic

Cosmetic dentistChanging how your smile looks Porcelain veneersNatural and long lasting Composite bondingSame-day chip and gap repair

Whitening

Lumi RefreshGentler, if whitening felt sensitive before Lumi RadianceThe fastest start in the chair

Orthodontics

Ortho consultAligners or bracesComplimentary Clear aligners and bracesPayment plans available Expansion and airwayGrowth-guided treatment

Implants & surgery

Implant consultTalk through your optionsComplimentary Dental implantsSingle tooth to full arch All-on-X full archFixed full-arch implants IV sedationFor nervous patients

What's bothering you?

Tooth pain or traumaEmergency care Nervous about the dentistGentle and sedation options Crooked teethAligners and braces Missing teethImplants and bridges Stained teethWhitening

Book Online

Current offers

New patients · $149

Exam, X-rays and treatment plan

Emergency $69

Same-day · consult + X-rays & OPG

Lumi Teeth Whitening

Home · Refresh · Radiance · from $449

Complimentary consult

Implants, aligners, veneers · no obligation

Dental implants

From singles to AOX full arch · free consultation

Clear aligners & braces

Plans from $500/month · free 3D scan

See all offers

Consults · kids · implants →

General & preventive

General dentist

Check-ups, fillings, X-rays

Children's dentist

CDBS bulk billing · $0 gap

Emergency dentist

Same-day · Mon to Sat · $69

IV sedation

For nervous patients

Wisdom tooth removal

Simple & surgical · pricing at consult

Dental implants

Single tooth to full arch

Crowns & bridges

Same-day available

Expansion and airway

Early interception from age 6

Clear aligners & braces

From $500/month · free 3D scan

Cosmetic and smile makeovers

AOX full arch implants

A fixed full arch of teeth on implants

Teeth whitening

Home · Refresh · Radiance · from $449

Composite & edge bonding

Chips, gaps and worn edges

Hybrid & porcelain veneers

Colour and shape changes

What's bothering you?

Toothache or pain

Same-day emergency · $69 incl. X-rays & OPG

Broken or chipped tooth

Emergency repair · same-day booking

Wisdom tooth pain

Simple & surgical removal · book emergency

Crowded or crooked teeth

Clear aligners · braces · free consult

Missing tooth or gap

Implants from $3,950 · free consultation

Stained or yellow teeth

Whitening from $449

Unhappy with my smile

Free cosmetic consult · no obligation

Nervous about dentists

IV sedation · we go at your pace

My child needs a check-up

CDBS bulk billing · $0 gap for eligible children

Not sure where to start?

Free consultation · no pressure

All health funds accepted · Payment plans available, humm from $0 deposit · CDBS bulk billing

Book online

Three ways to fill a gap

Implant

A titanium post in the jaw bone holds a crown.

Fixed in place, and you clean it like a tooth
Leaves the teeth either side alone
Needs minor surgery and a few months to heal

Bridge

A false tooth is joined to crowns on the teeth either side.

Fixed in place, usually finished in a few weeks
The teeth either side are shaped to hold it
You clean under it with floss threaders or small brushes

Denture

A false tooth on a base that rests on the gum, held by small clasps.

Comes out for cleaning and at night
No surgery, and usually the quickest to make
Can replace several teeth at once

What they look like

Model of the jaw showing a dental implant with a crown between two natural teeth — ImplantA post sits in the jaw bone and holds a crown. This model shows it between two natural teeth.Photo: Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

Dental bridge on a plaster model of the lower jaw — BridgeThe crowns marked 2 fit over the teeth beside the gap and hold the false teeth between them.Photo: Lng049, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, resized

Lower denture on a plaster model of the jaw — DentureA lower denture on a model of the jaw. It comes out for cleaning.Photo: Quang Tri Nguyen on Unsplash

Side by side

Compared	Implant	Bridge	Denture
How it is held	A post in the jaw bone	Crowns on the teeth either side	Rests on the gum, held by clasps
Teeth next to the gap	Left alone	Shaped to hold the bridge	Clasps rest on them
Surgery	Yes, minor, under local anaesthetic	No	No
Removable	No	No	Yes
Cleaning	Brush and floss like a tooth	Floss threaders or small brushes under it	Take it out and brush it
How long it usually lasts	Many last 15 years or more with good care	Often 10 to 15 years	Usually relined or remade every 5 to 10 years
Time to finish	Usually 3 to 6 months	Usually 2 to 3 visits over a few weeks	Usually a few weeks
Bone under the gap	An implant may help keep the bone	The bone can slowly shrink	The bone can slowly shrink
Upfront cost	Usually the highest	Usually in between	Usually the lowest

Implants are $3,950 each when three or more are placed together, or $4,950 each for one or two, including the abutment and crown. Bridges and dentures are quoted at your consult. For typical price ranges, see our cost guides below.

Dental bridge costs explained Denture costs explained Implant, bridge or denture: typical price ranges

Which might suit you

An implant may suit you if

the teeth either side are healthy and you want something fixed that you clean like a natural tooth.

A bridge may suit you if

the teeth either side already have large fillings or crowns, or surgery is not right for you.

A denture may suit you if

several teeth are missing, you want the quickest option, or you plan to have implants later.

Your dentist will talk through the options with you at your consult, with a 3D scan and a written quote. The implant consult is free.

Book a free consult

Questions we are often asked

Is an implant better than a bridge?

Not always. An implant leaves the teeth either side untouched, which matters when they are healthy. If those teeth already need crowns, a bridge can make sense. Your dentist will explain which suits you.

Can I have a denture now and an implant later?

Yes. Many people wear a partial denture while the area heals, then move to an implant when they are ready.

Does a bridge affect the teeth next to it?

The teeth either side are shaped to hold the bridge, so some tooth is removed. With good cleaning and regular check-ups, they usually stay healthy.

Will my health fund cover it?

Many funds pay a rebate under major dental cover. Ask your fund what they pay and check any waiting periods. We can claim your rebate on the spot.

Dental implants

Book a free implant consult

We take a 3D scan, talk through your options and give you a written quote to take home. There is no obligation to go ahead.

Book a free consult Call (02) 8599 4700

Open Monday to Saturday, and until 9pm on Thursdays. Free undercover parking at Melrose Central.

Lumi Dental dentists and oral health therapists at reception

Dentists and oral health therapists

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New patients · $149

Emergency $69

Lumi Teeth Whitening

Complimentary consult

Dental implants

Clear aligners & braces

Implant, bridge or denture?

Three ways to fill a gap

Implant

Bridge

Denture

What they look like

Side by side

Which might suit you

An implant may suit you if

A bridge may suit you if

A denture may suit you if

Questions we are often asked

Is an implant better than a bridge?

Can I have a denture now and an implant later?

Does a bridge affect the teeth next to it?

Will my health fund cover it?

Book a free implant consult