Dental Bridge glossary of terms & specifications
15 technical terms, material grades and Irish standards explained in plain English so you know exactly what is on a written quote.
Sorted A to Z for quick reference when comparing specifications.
Free, no obligation. One registered dental clinic in your county replies, not five.
Key dental bridge terms explained
3-Unit Fixed Conventional Bridge
The classic fixed bridge where the two teeth on either side of a gap (abutments) are crowned to support a solid replacement tooth (pontic) fused between them.
Abutment Tooth
The natural tooth (or dental implant) on one or both sides of the gap that anchors and carries the biting load of a fixed dental bridge.
Cantilever Dental Bridge
A fixed bridge where the replacement pontic tooth is supported by a crown on one side of the gap only — suited to low-stress lateral incisor spaces.
Dual-Cure Resin Luting Cement (Panavia)
High-strength anaerobic adhesive resin cement used to bond zirconia and Maryland wings permanently onto etched enamel and sandblasted ceramic.
E.max Lithium Disilicate Glass-Ceramic
High-translucency pressed or CAD/CAM milled all-ceramic material ideal for front 3-unit bridges and single-wing Maryland bridges where natural light transmission is paramount.
Implant-Supported Bridge (3-Unit on 2 Implants)
Replacing three or four missing side teeth in a row by placing two titanium dental implants and spanning a 3-unit or 4-unit zirconia bridge between them without touching any natural teeth.
Intraoral 3D Optical Scanner (iTero / Trios)
A wand camera that captures a full-colour 3D digital model of your prepared teeth and bite in 90 seconds, replacing messy silicone putty impressions.
Maryland Resin-Bonded Bridge
A conservative front-tooth bridge where a porcelain or zirconia tooth has a thin ceramic or chrome wing bonded to the back of the neighbouring tooth with zero crown drilling.
Monolithic & Layered Zirconia
High-strength zirconium dioxide ceramic (>900–1,200 MPa flexural strength) CAD/CAM milled for back molar bridges and long spans where biting forces are highest.
Ovate Pontic Gum Contour
Sculpting the underside of a front bridge pontic so it nestles gently into a tiny depression in the gum, making the replacement tooth look as if it is growing naturally out of the gumline.
Pontic
The custom-shaded false tooth in the middle of a dental bridge that fills the missing tooth space.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM)
A traditional bridge with a cast cobalt-chrome or precious-alloy inner substructure veneered with hand-layered feldspathic porcelain.
Provisional (Temporary) Acrylic Bridge
A tooth-coloured chairside bridge cemented with temporary lute at the end of Visit 1 so you never leave the clinic with a visible gap while the lab crafts your final bridge.
Revenue Form Med 2 (20% Tax Relief)
The Irish Revenue certificate signed by your dentist for non-routine treatments (crowns, bridges, implants, root canals) allowing PAYE and self-assessed taxpayers to claim 20% back.
Superfloss & Interdental Threader
Stiffened-end spongy floss designed to slide underneath the joined pontic of a fixed dental bridge once a day to keep the gum tissue underneath clean and healthy.
Real examples and installation detail
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Dental bridges guides & price breakdowns
Straight answers to what people ask most: itemised costs, specifications, planning or grants, and what to check before you book.
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Questions patients ask
How much does a dental bridge cost in Ireland?
A traditional 3-unit fixed bridge (replacing one missing tooth, anchored on the two teeth either side) costs €1,800 to €3,300 at the clinic — or €1,440 to €2,640 after claiming 20% Form Med 2 tax relief. A minimally invasive Maryland (resin-bonded winged) bridge for a front tooth costs €850 to €1,600 (€680 to €1,280 after 20% relief), and a 4-unit bridge replacing two missing teeth costs €2,400 to €4,400 (€1,920 to €3,520 after 20% relief).
Can I claim 20% tax relief on a dental bridge in Ireland?
Yes. Revenue's Form Med 2 explicitly lists all bridgework — both enamel-retained (Maryland) bridges and tooth-supported or implant-supported fixed bridges — as qualifying non-routine dental treatment. Your dental clinic signs Form Med 2 when you pay, and you claim 20% back through Revenue myAccount.
What is the difference between a traditional bridge and a Maryland bridge?
A traditional 3-unit bridge (€1,800 to €3,300) shapes the two teeth on either side of the gap for crowns and fuses a false tooth (pontic) between them. A Maryland bridge (€850 to €1,600) uses a thin metal or zirconia 'wing' bonded with high-strength resin to the hidden back surface of an adjacent front tooth — leaving the front of your neighbouring tooth untouched.
Dental bridges across all 26 counties
Requests from all 26 counties go to one vetted local specialist who covers your county — from Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick to Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Waterford and Donegal. Pick your county below for local prices, specifications and advice. Compare all areas covered →
Want a written price for a dental bridge?
One Dental Council-registered clinic covering your county contacts you. Nothing is booked until you have an X-ray and a written treatment plan.