Should I get a dental implant or a bridge to replace a missing tooth?

When you lose a tooth, two common solutions are a dental implant and a fixed bridge. The key difference lies in what each treatment does to the surrounding teeth. A bridge anchors itself to the teeth on either side of the gap by covering them with crowns. Those adjacent teeth must be filed down significantly to receive those crowns, even if they are completely healthy.

An implant avoids this entirely. The titanium post goes directly into the jawbone and supports its own crown independently. The neighbouring teeth remain untouched and structurally intact. From a conservative dentistry standpoint, this is almost always the preferred option when the conditions allow it.

A bridge has legitimate advantages too. It is typically completed more quickly because there is no surgical phase and no waiting period for osseointegration. The cost per tooth treated can be lower in the short term, and it is suitable in cases where the jawbone is insufficient for an implant without grafting.

The long-term picture often favours the implant. Because it replaces the tooth root, it prevents the bone resorption that naturally occurs under a gap or a bridge pontic. This preserves the shape of your jaw and gum line over years and decades. A well-maintained implant can outlast multiple bridge replacements, and when you factor in the cost of future treatments, it often becomes the more economical choice over time.