Bridge or implant?
This is the real question, and the honest answer depends on your mouth rather than on which we would rather do. Both are on the table, and we will tell you which we would choose.
A bridge is usually quicker
Two or three appointments across a few weeks, against several months for an implant, most of which is healing. If time matters, that gap is the main difference.
An implant leaves neighbours alone
A bridge is carried by the teeth either side, and those have to be prepared to take the crowns. If they are already crowned or heavily filled that costs nothing extra; if they are pristine, it is a genuine consideration.
An implant preserves bone
The bone under a gap thins over time. An implant loads it like a root and slows that; a bridge spans over the top of it. More on implants.
Health decides it sometimes
An implant needs enough bone to anchor into, and some medical histories rule it out. Then a bridge is not the compromise - it is the right answer.