Dental implant verses bridge A dental implant is basically an artificial tooth root (typically made from titanium) that is anchored in place of a missing tooth. ... Unlike implants, bridges do not replace a tooth root. Rather, a bridge uses one or more surrounding teeth as a support on which to attach a crown that can fill the missing tooth space. hat is the difference between implants and bridges? With a dental implant, a small titanium cylinder is placed in the jawbone at the site of the missing tooth. ... With a dental bridge, a pair or crowns are installed onto your natural teeth on either side of the gap. Those crowns are then used to create a bridge that holds an artificial tooth. Why are implants better than Bridges? One of the biggest benefits of dental implants is that they protect the other teeth. In the case of a dental bridge, the natural teeth have to perform the function of support. The implant is not putting any strain on other teeth. ... In the case of a bridge, a dentist will need healthy adjacent teeth for support.