The most conservative approach when attempting to replace a missing tooth is a bonded bridge or often referred to as a Maryland Bridge. An impression of the area is taken and a new tooth referred to as a pontic is formed. Attached to the pontic on either side are abutments or 'wings' that will support the pontic. The most common type of Maryland Bridge uses abutments that are cemented on the backside of the adjoining teeth and hold the pontic in place where the missing tooth used to be. The adjacent teeth may need to be slightly modified to accept the 'wings' of the pontic. The advantage of this type of procedure is that you are not having to put full coverage crowns on the adjoining teeth.

An alternative to an implant is a fixed bridge. With this option, it is necessary to grind down the teeth adjacent to the space in order to have caps fit onto the ground down teeth. The caps hold a fake replacement tooth in the middle. With this approach, the ground down teeth are more subject to dental decay and root canals. Furthermore, the teeth are connected together making daily hygiene more challenging. Unlike an implant, the bridge offers no additional biting support.