A single implant gives you several advantages over other ways to replace one missing tooth. Unlike a bridge, it does not rely on the teeth on either side of the gap for support, so those teeth are left untouched. A bridge usually means cutting down two healthy teeth to anchor the false tooth between them, even when there is nothing wrong with them.

Because an implant replaces the root as well as the crown, it also helps keep the bone in that area healthy. With a bridge or partial denture, the bone beneath the gap has nothing to stimulate it and gradually begins to shrink. An implant integrates with your jawbone in the same way a natural tooth root does, so that bone stays intact.