Both an implant and a bridge replace a missing tooth with a fixed one. They work differently, last differently and suit different mouths. Neither is always better, and the right choice depends on the teeth around the gap, your bone and your health.
What each one does
A bridge attaches an artificial tooth to crowns on the teeth either side of the gap. An implant is a post in the jawbone that carries its own crown and leaves the neighbouring teeth alone.
When a bridge makes sense
A bridge avoids surgery and is usually finished in a few weeks. It can suit someone whose neighbouring teeth already need crowns, who cannot have surgery for medical reasons or who does not want a graft. The cost is that healthy teeth may have to be shaped to carry the bridge.
When an implant makes sense
An implant protects the neighbouring teeth because they are not touched, and it helps keep the bone where the tooth was. It suits healthy gums and enough bone. The cost is surgery, a longer timeline and higher initial cost.
Longevity and maintenance
Both can last many years with good care, and both can fail. A bridge can loosen or decay at its supporting teeth. An implant can be lost to infection or fail to heal. Ask your dentist about the figures for the specific system they use rather than relying on general claims.
The questions that decide it
Are the teeth either side already heavily restored? Is there enough bone? Do you smoke, have diabetes or grind your teeth? How soon do you need a result? A good dentist will talk through these and tell you plainly if one option is a poor fit for you.
The short version
Ask for both options in writing, with the full cost and the long-term maintenance for each. If a clinic only ever offers one, ask why.
General information, not medical advice. A qualified dentist decides what suits you after examining you.