What are my options for missing teeth?
By Adam Smith, Head of Patient Research
Updated August 2026 · Dental tourism researcher · Clinic vetting specialist · 40+ clinics assessed on-site
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Short answer
Four, and most people are only ever offered one. A denture, a bridge, an implant, or leaving the gap — they range from roughly £250 to £4,000 depending on the route and the country, and the cheapest is not always the one that costs least over ten years.
The full cost, line by line
Typical 2026 prices in GBP. Every part of the bill, not just the advertised one.
| What you pay for | Turkey | Poland | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partial dentureRemovable. Cheapest and fastest, and the option most people are offered first. | £250 | £320 | £800 |
| Bridge, per unitFixed, but the healthy teeth either side are reshaped to carry it. Usually three units for one gap. | £160 | £200 | £750 |
| Implant postStands alone — no work done to neighbouring teeth. | £400 | £500 | £2,950 |
| Crown for the implantThe visible tooth. Add the abutment too for the true finished cost. | £160 | £220 | £850 |
Typical mid-range figures, not quotes. Individual clinics price differently and a CT scan can change what a case needs. Last reviewed 2026-08-16.
The four routes, honestly
A partial denture is removable, quick and the least expensive. It restores appearance and some chewing, needs taking out to clean, and most people find it takes some getting used to. It is a real option, not a consolation prize — for someone who does not want surgery it is often the right one.
A bridge is fixed in place and looks like a tooth, but it is carried by the teeth either side, and those teeth have to be reshaped to hold it. That is the trade-off worth understanding: you are spending healthy tooth structure to avoid surgery, and if one of those supporting teeth fails later, the bridge goes with it.
An implant replaces the root itself and leaves the neighbouring teeth untouched. It costs the most up front and takes the longest — usually two visits several months apart. It is also the only option that does not depend on the teeth around it.
And doing nothing is a legitimate choice for a single back tooth in some cases, though the teeth either side can drift over time. That is a conversation for a dentist who has examined you, not a decision to make from a web page.
Why the cheapest option is not always the cheapest
Compare over ten years rather than at the point of sale. Dentures are relined or replaced periodically. Bridges have a finite life and, when one fails, the reshaped teeth beneath it limit what can be done next. Implants cost the most on day one and, in the right mouth, change least over that period.
None of that makes implants automatically correct. Bone volume, gum health, smoking and general health all bear on whether an implant is appropriate at all — which is decided by an examination and a scan, not by a price list.
Pearl
MyDentalFly’s dental consultant
Something worth knowing while you're reading: almost every dental decision comes down to two things a price list can't tell you — what condition the surrounding teeth and bone are in, and how permanent you want the result to be. Those are what make two people's treatment for the 'same' problem look completely different.
What's brought you here today?
What the same options cost abroad
The proportional saving is similar across all four routes, so travelling does not change which option suits you — it changes what each one costs. A finished implant is roughly £640 in Turkey against about £4,075 in the UK; a full denture is around £400 against £1,200.
Because the saving scales with the size of the case, one missing tooth rarely justifies the trip on cost alone once flights are counted. Several teeth usually does. That arithmetic is worth doing before you decide anything.
Real results from verified clinics
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Before → AfterTower Dental Clinic
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Related questions
References & Sources
All clinical claims, pricing data, and statistics in this article are based on peer-reviewed research, official regulatory sources, and publicly verifiable data. We invite you to verify anything before making a treatment decision.
- 1.BBC News, "Turkey teeth: The dental tourism risks patients don't see." February 2023.
- 2.BBC, "Turkey Teeth: Bargain Smiles or Big Mistake?" — documentary investigating dental tourism risks, 2022.
- 3.Euronews, "Medical tourism: Dental expert explains why Turkey teeth can be a costly mistake." October 2024.
- 4.General Dental Council (UK), "Going abroad for dental treatment" — patient guidance.
- 5.British Dental Association (BDA), "Dental tourism: Patients need to know the risks."
- 6.T.C. Saglik Bakanligi (Turkish Ministry of Health), Health Tourism Authorisation Regulations.
- 7.Kontakiotis, E.G. et al. (2015), "A prospective study of the incidence of asymptomatic pulp necrosis following crown preparation," Int. Endod. J., 48(6), 512-517.
- 8.Pjetursson, B.E. et al. (2012), "A systematic review of the survival and complication rates of implant-supported fixed dental prostheses after at least 5 years," Clin. Oral Implants Res., 23(S6), 22-38.
- 9.Sailer, I. et al. (2015), "All-ceramic or metal-ceramic tooth-supported fixed dental prostheses: a systematic review," Dent. Mater., 31(6), 603-624.
- 10.Türkiye Today, "1.5 million health tourists visited Türkiye in 2024, generating $3 billion in revenue." 2025.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes and does not replace a clinical examination. Treatment outcomes vary between patients. Always consult a qualified dental professional.
About MyDentalFly
MyDentalFly is a UK-based platform that builds your treatment plan and matches you with vetted specialist clinics abroad — and a dentist at the clinic reviews and confirms every plan before you pay anything.
Our interactive assessment evaluates your dental needs and builds a bespoke package: every treatment explained, a matched clinic with reasons why, your named dentist, flight estimates, transport, and accommodation — all in one place. We maintain a small, vetted network across Turkey, Hungary and Poland, visit clinics in person, help arrange CBCT scans before you fly, and stay with you through the entire journey. Compare. Save. Smile.
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About the author
Adam Smith
Head of Patient Research, MyDentalFly
Adam leads patient research at MyDentalFly, personally vetting clinics across Turkey, Hungary, and Poland. He has reviewed over 200 clinic proposals, analysed patient outcomes, and helped coordinate treatment plans for patients across the UK, USA, and Europe.