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Multiple Missing Teeth: Your Options With Dental Implants

When several teeth are missing, there are more ways to replace them. This guide compares implant bridges, conventional bridges and dentures.

Key points

  • With several missing teeth the options include an implant bridge, a conventional bridge, dentures or a mix of these.
  • The number and position of the gaps, the bone in each area and the health of the remaining teeth shape the plan.
  • A review of 32 studies found 95.6 percent of implants supporting bridges still in place after five years.3
  • An implant bridge can span a gap and be carried by fewer posts than there are teeth.
  • Every implant plan depends on bone, gum health, not smoking, time, daily cleaning and regular check-ups.1

Missing more than one tooth changes the way you eat, speak and smile, and it affects the teeth that remain. The options are wider than for one gap, because the teeth can be replaced in different ways: with implants, with a bridge that uses neighbouring teeth, with a denture, or with a combination.

Why the number and position of gaps matters

Two missing teeth side by side are a different problem from two missing teeth in different parts of the mouth, and both differ from losing most of a jaw. Your dentist looks at:

  • how many teeth are missing and which ones;
  • whether the gaps are together or separate;
  • how much bone remains in each area;
  • the health of the teeth and gums that are left;
  • your bite and whether you grind your teeth.

A gap can make eating and speaking harder and can change how the face and smile look,5 so the aim is to restore both function and appearance.

Option 1: an implant bridge

Two or more posts are placed in the bone, and a bridge of joined crowns is fixed to them, so the false teeth are carried by the implants and not by the teeth on either side.1 You need fewer posts than teeth, because each post can support more than one tooth.

A review of 32 studies found that 95.6 percent of implants supporting bridges were still in place after five years and 93.1 percent after ten.3 The same review found that the tooth-coloured covering chipped in 13.5 percent of bridges, gum inflammation or soft tissue problems occurred in 8.5 percent, and a screw or connector loosened in 5.3 percent over five years, so the bridge can need repair sooner than the posts.3 That is why a maintenance programme after treatment is recommended.3

Read more on our page about implant bridges.

Option 2: a conventional bridge

A conventional bridge joins a false tooth to crowns on the teeth either side of the gap. It needs no surgery, but the neighbouring teeth are shaped. In a review of 19 studies, 89.1 percent of conventional bridges were still in place after ten years, though only 71.1 percent had no complication.4 Decay and gum disease at the supporting teeth led to loss of 2.6 and 0.7 percent of bridges.4 Bridges suit a short gap with healthy teeth either side. They are less suited to several missing teeth in a row, and a bridge needs a tooth at each end.

Option 3: dentures

Dentures are removable false teeth for one or more teeth or a whole jaw, and they usually take a few weeks to make.5 They need no surgery. Gums and jawbone change with age, which can leave dentures loose, and poorly cleaned dentures can cause a sore mouth.5 Brush them morning and evening with soft soap or washing-up liquid, not toothpaste, take them out at night and keep them in water or a cleaning solution.5 See our guide to dentures and implants for a closer look.

Option 4: a mix

Many people with several gaps have a plan that combines options, for example an implant bridge in one area and a single implant in another, or implants to steady a partial denture. A good plan treats each area on its own merits.

Things that apply to every implant plan

  • Bone. A scan shows how much bone is available. A graft adds at least four months and can bring swelling, bruising and pain.12
  • Gums. Untreated gum disease has to be treated first.1
  • Smoking. It raises the chance that an implant does not bond, and NHS guidance asks patients to stop at least six months before treatment.1
  • Time. NHS guidance says the whole process could take 6 to 12 months, with three to six months of healing before the teeth are fitted.12
  • Cleaning. Interdental brushes and aids under the bridge, and regular check-ups.1

How to choose

Questions to ask yourself and your dentist:

  1. How many posts would my bridge need, and why?
  2. Do I need a graft?
  3. How would the plan change if one implant did not bond?
  4. What would I need to do every day to keep it clean?
  5. How do the alternatives compare for my mouth?

If all the teeth in a jaw are missing, see our guides to all-on-4 implants and full-jaw implant surgery.

How gaps affect the rest of the mouth

A gap does not stay neutral. Without a tooth to hold them in place, neighbouring teeth can tilt into the space, and the tooth opposite the gap can slowly grow longer, since nothing meets it when you bite. The bone under the gap loses its work and tends to shrink. Over time the bite can shift, food collects in new places and cleaning becomes harder.

This is one reason dentists often advise replacing teeth, particularly when several are missing, instead of leaving the gaps. The right replacement depends on your mouth, and a plan that begins with a careful examination and a scan can protect the teeth that remain.1

What a combined plan can look like

Many people with several gaps need more than one solution. These examples are illustrations, and the right plan for you depends on your own scan and bite.

Situation A plan a dentist might discuss
Two missing teeth side by side An implant bridge carried by two posts, or sometimes a bridge on fewer posts
One missing tooth in one area and several in another A single implant in one area and an implant bridge in the other
Back teeth missing on one side with no tooth behind the gap Implants, since a conventional bridge needs a tooth at each end
Most teeth missing, but a few healthy ones remain A combination of implants, crowns and a partial denture

Ask your dentist to draw out the plan for each gap and to explain why each part is needed.

Eating and speaking while you wait

While gaps are waiting for treatment, daily life still has to work. If you have a temporary denture, wear it as advised and clean it daily.5 Chew on the side with more teeth, cut food small, and choose softer foods during healing. If speech changes with a new denture or temporary teeth, practise reading aloud, since the tongue adapts.

If you have no temporary replacement, avoid hard foods that could chip remaining teeth. Keep brushing and cleaning between all your teeth, and report any looseness, pain or bleeding.

Myths and facts

Myth: every missing tooth needs its own implant. A bridge can span a gap and be carried by fewer posts than there are teeth.1

Myth: if I have lost many teeth, nothing can be done. There are several routes, from implant bridges to full-arch teeth to implant-held dentures, and your dentist plans from your bone.

Fact: a gap tends to affect the rest of the mouth. Replacing several teeth helps chewing and can protect the teeth that remain.

Looking after several implants

With several implants the cleaning routine matters even more.

  • Use interdental brushes and aids under any bridge.1
  • Keep check-ups every three to six months.1
  • Do not smoke.
  • Ask about a night guard if you grind your teeth, because grinding can overload implants.1
  • Tell your dentist early about any bleeding, swelling or looseness.

Planning a staged treatment

When many teeth are involved, treatment is often staged: gum treatment first, then extractions if needed, then posts, then temporary teeth, then the final teeth. Each stage has its own healing time. Ask for a written outline of the stages, so you know what to expect and when.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need one implant for every missing tooth?

No. A bridge can span a gap and be carried by fewer posts than there are teeth. Your dentist decides how many from your bone and your bite.

Can I keep wearing a denture while I heal?

Often a temporary denture or tooth is used, though it may need adjusting and you may not be able to wear a denture for a few days after surgery.1

What if some of my teeth are loose?

Loose teeth may signal gum disease, which needs treatment first. Our gum disease treatment page explains what is done.

How do I clean an implant bridge?

With interdental brushes and aids under the bridge, and regular check-ups, as NHS guidance advises.1

Can I have a mix of implants and a denture?

Yes. A partial denture can be steadied by implants, and some plans combine different designs in different areas.

Will I be without teeth during treatment?

Usually a temporary tooth or denture is provided, although it may need adjusting.1

How do I know how many posts I need?

Your dentist works it out from a 3D scan of your bone and from your bite.

Does leaving a gap harm the other teeth?

It can. Neighbouring teeth may tilt into the space, the tooth opposite may grow longer and the bone under the gap tends to shrink. A dentist can explain what is likely in your mouth.

How long does it take to replace several teeth with implants?

NHS guidance says the whole implant process could take 6 to 12 months, and a graft adds at least four months.12 Your plan will give you a timeline for your own case.

About the author

Portrait of Dr Anupam Sinha

Dr Anupam Sinha, BDS, MDS – Orthodontics. BDS (2002), KLE Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum. MDS in Orthodontics (2006), SDM College of Dental Sciences, Dharwad. His thesis work won a national research award in 2005, and he holds a certification in aesthetic dentistry. He sees patients at Orion Dental Clinic in Greater Kailash 1, South Delhi. Read the full profile of Dr Anupam Sinha.

Sources

  1. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Dental implants in restorative dentistry (patient information). https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/dental-implants-in-restorative-dentistry/
  2. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. Dental implants (patient information). https://guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/health-information/dental-implants
  3. Pjetursson BE, Thoma D, Jung R, Zwahlen M, Zembic A. A systematic review of the survival and complication rates of implant-supported fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) after a mean observation period of at least 5 years. Clinical Oral Implants Research, 2012;23(Suppl 6):22-38. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23062125/
  4. Tan K, Pjetursson BE, Lang NP, Chan ES. A systematic review of the survival and complication rates of fixed partial dentures (FPDs) after an observation period of at least 5 years. III. Conventional FPDs. Clinical Oral Implants Research, 2004;15(6):654-666. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15533126/
  5. NHS website. Dentures (false teeth) (patient information). Page review date 19 March 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dentures/

Medically reviewed by Dr Anupam Sinha, BDS, MDS – Orthodontics, on . General information for patients from Orion Dental Clinic, last updated 23 October 2026. It is not advice for one person, so ask a dentist what suits you. To report an error, contact us.