Types of Dental Bridges: Traditional, Cantilever, Maryland & Implant

Editorially reviewed by the Dental.me Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

A dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by anchoring a false tooth, called a pontic, to something stable on either side of the gap. But not all bridges work the same way. The right choice depends on which tooth is missing, how healthy the neighboring teeth are, how much bite force the area handles, and your budget. There are four main types of dental bridges, and each one makes a different trade-off between strength, preserving your natural teeth, appearance, and cost. Understanding those trade-offs helps you have a smarter conversation with your dentist. If you want the basics first, our overview of what a dental bridge is covers the fundamentals.

Traditional Bridges: The Standard Workhorse

The traditional bridge is the most common design and the one most people picture. It uses the two natural teeth on either side of the gap, called abutment teeth, as anchors. The dentist files down and caps each abutment with a crown, and a pontic sits between them, fused into one solid unit that is cemented in place.

Traditional bridges are strong and reliable because the chewing load is shared across two anchor teeth. That makes them a good fit for back teeth, where bite forces are highest, as long as the neighboring teeth are healthy enough to support crowns.

• Strength: High, supported on both sides.
• Tooth preservation: Low. Healthy enamel must be filed down on two otherwise-sound teeth, and that change is permanent.
• Best location: Anywhere with two solid neighbors, including molars.

The main drawback is exactly that permanent filing. Once enamel is removed, those teeth will always need a crown or restoration of some kind.

Cantilever Bridges: Anchored on One Side

A cantilever bridge is similar to a traditional bridge but anchors the pontic to only one abutment tooth instead of two. It is used when there is a healthy tooth on just one side of the gap, such as at the very back of an arch or in a spot where filing a second tooth is not practical.

Because the pontic hangs off a single anchor, the design creates leverage. Every bite twists and stresses that one supporting tooth, which raises the risk of loosening the crown or damaging the anchor over time. For that reason, dentists limit cantilever bridges to low-force areas and usually avoid them on molars.

• Strength: Moderate, and more prone to leverage stress than a two-sided bridge.
• Tooth preservation: Low on the one anchor tooth, which still needs a crown.
• Best location: Front or side teeth with light bite load and only one usable neighbor.

Maryland Bridges: The Conservative Front-Tooth Option

A Maryland bridge, also called a resin-bonded bridge, takes a much gentler approach. Instead of crowning the neighbors, the pontic has two thin wings, made of metal or porcelain, that are bonded to the backs of the adjacent teeth with a strong resin cement. Little or no enamel is removed.

That conservation is the Maryland bridge’s biggest advantage. It preserves the natural teeth almost entirely, which makes it appealing for younger patients or anyone who wants to avoid filing healthy teeth. It also looks natural for a missing front tooth because the wings hide behind the neighbors.

The trade-off is strength. A bonded bridge is not as durable as a crowned one, and the wings can debond, especially under heavy chewing. Metal wings can also cast a faint gray shadow through thin front teeth. Maryland bridges are best reserved for the front of the mouth, where bite forces are lighter.

• Strength: Lower. The bond can fail under load.
• Tooth preservation: Highest of the tooth-supported bridges. Minimal filing.
• Best location: Front teeth (incisors), not molars.

Implant-Supported Bridges: The Long-Term Solution

An implant-supported bridge replaces the tooth-anchor idea entirely. Instead of leaning on natural teeth, titanium implants are placed in the jawbone and the bridge is fixed onto them. This is the go-to option when several adjacent teeth are missing, because a row of pontics can be carried by two implants at the ends.

The biggest benefit is that no neighboring teeth are filed down, so healthy teeth stay untouched. Implants also stimulate the jawbone the way natural roots do, which helps prevent the bone loss that follows tooth loss. Well-maintained implant bridges can last decades, longer than any tooth-supported design. The comparison between fixed bridges and implants is worth reading in full in our guide on dental implants versus bridges.

The downsides are cost and time. Implant-supported bridges are the most expensive option, they require oral surgery, and healing while the implant fuses to the bone can take several months before the final bridge is placed. Patients also need enough healthy jawbone to support the implants.

• Strength: Highest and most stable.
• Tooth preservation: Best. No natural teeth are altered.
• Best location: Multiple missing teeth, or anywhere durability matters most.

Materials: PFM, Zirconia, and All-Ceramic

Whatever the design, the bridge itself is made from one of a few materials, and the choice affects looks, strength, and price.

• Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM): A metal substructure gives strength while porcelain provides a tooth-like surface. Durable and cost-effective, though a thin dark line can show at the gum over time.
• Zirconia: A very strong, metal-free ceramic that resists chipping and looks natural. Increasingly popular for both front and back bridges, and often the choice on implants.
• All-ceramic (all-porcelain): The most natural-looking option and a good match for front teeth, though slightly less strong than zirconia in high-force molar areas.

Many of the same material choices apply to single crowns, so our breakdown of dental crown types is a useful companion.

Cost, Insurance, and Lifespan

Cost tracks closely with the type. A Maryland bridge is usually the least expensive, a traditional or cantilever bridge sits in the middle, and an implant-supported bridge is the most expensive because of the surgery and hardware involved. Ranges vary widely by region, material, and how many pontics are needed. Our detailed guide on how much a dental bridge costs walks through the full picture.

Dental insurance commonly covers around half of a conventional bridge after any deductible, up to the plan’s annual maximum, though many plans cover implants at a lower rate or not at all. Always confirm coverage before treatment.

Lifespan depends on the type and on care. Traditional and cantilever bridges typically last around 5 to 15 years or more, Maryland bridges tend toward the shorter end because bonds can fail, and implant-supported bridges can last the longest, often well beyond 15 years with good maintenance.

Caring for a Bridge and How the Dentist Chooses

The tricky part of cleaning any bridge is the pontic, which sits on the gum without a root of its own. Plaque collects underneath it, so you have to clean beneath the false tooth, not just around it. A floss threader or a water flosser directs cleaning under the pontic, and daily use there is what protects the anchor teeth and gums from decay and disease.

When your dentist recommends a type, they weigh several things at once: which tooth is missing and how much force it handles, whether the neighboring teeth are healthy or already need crowns, how much jawbone is present, your appearance goals, and your budget. A missing front tooth with healthy neighbors might point to a conservative Maryland bridge, a missing molar with two crown-ready neighbors suits a traditional bridge, and several missing teeth in a row often make an implant-supported bridge the best long-term value. There is no single best bridge, only the best bridge for your specific gap.

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