Is a Single Implant Better Than a Bridge for One Missing Tooth?

When you have one missing tooth, you have two main options — an implant or a bridge. Here is how to decide.

For most people, a single implant is the better long-term choice, but a bridge may be right in certain situations.

Why an implant is usually better:
Preserves healthy teeth — a bridge requires filing down two adjacent healthy teeth. An implant does not touch neighboring teeth
Prevents bone loss — the implant stimulates the jawbone, preventing the bone loss that naturally occurs when a tooth is missing
Longer lifespan — implants last 20+ years; bridges typically last 10–15 years
Easier to clean — you floss around an implant normally, while bridges require special floss threaders

When a bridge may be the better choice:
Faster treatment — a bridge takes 2–3 weeks; an implant takes 3–9 months
Lower upfront cost — a bridge costs less than an implant
Insufficient bone — if you cannot or do not want bone grafting, a bridge avoids that need
Medical conditions — certain health conditions make implant surgery riskier
Adjacent teeth already need crowns — if the neighboring teeth also need crowns, a bridge may make sense

Comparison at a Glance