What a fibre bridge costs in South Africa

A fibre bridge has no fixed price in South Africa, because every gap is different. So we start with an assessment, and go through your options and the cost with you there.

A fibre bridge (also spelt fiber bridge, or called a fibre-reinforced composite bridge) is built in the chair, directly on your teeth, with no surgery and no crowning of the teeth next to the gap. The treatment itself is explained on our fibre bridge page.

Investing in a fibre bridge

Every fibre bridge starts with the gap itself: which tooth is missing and how wide the space is. The teeth either side carry the bridge, so they need enough sound enamel for the fibre to bond to.

Work that may come first

A fibre bridge is only as strong as the teeth and gums around it, so anything that needs attention is done before the bridge goes on.

• Teeth cleaning or fillings on the teeth that will hold the bridge.
• Treatment for gum disease if your gums aren't healthy, which can mean a deep cleaning below the gum line.
• Taking the tooth out first, if it's still there and can't be saved. Read about tooth extraction.

If a tooth next to the gap is loose, heavily filled or badly decayed, a fibre bridge may not be the right answer for that gap, and we talk you through the other options at your assessment.

What the work involves

On the day, we prepare the two support teeth and bond a strip of reinforcing fibre across the gap. The new tooth is built onto the fibre in tooth-coloured composite, matched to the shade of your own teeth, then we check your bite and polish the bridge before you leave. Nothing is sent away to be made, so there are no moulds to wait for.

How the cost compares with other ways to replace a tooth

Prices for different ways of replacing a tooth only make sense side by side when you know what goes into each one.

If the teeth either side of your gap are healthy, find out whether a fibre bridge will work for you before you look further. To weigh up surgery, visits and your other teeth as well as cost, compare a fibre bridge, implant or denture.

Cost over time

Think about upkeep as well as the price on the day. A fibre bridge can chip: in a 2017 systematic review of 592 fibre bridges, the most common problem was the tooth-coloured composite on the surface chipping or coming away from the fibre. A small chip can often be repaired without replacing the whole bridge.

The same review estimated that 94.5% of the bridges were still in place at 4.8 years. Most of the studies were small, and the authors describe fibre bridges as a medium-term option. Regular check-ups let us spot a chip or a weak bond while it's still small. For the detail, read how long a fibre bridge lasts.

Medical aid, card or cash

We accept medical aid, and your scheme's rules decide what it pays, often from day-to-day benefits or savings that can run low during the year.

We also take card and cash, and you can ask us about paying in instalments. For how schemes treat dental work in general, read what medical aid covers for dental work.

Your questions about fibre bridge costs