Only a dentist or dental specialist (e.g., prosthodontist) can determine what type of bridge is most appropriate for a specific patient. Different types of bridges include:

• Traditional bridge. The artificial teeth (pontics) are attached to natural abutment teeth located on either side of the gap. The pontics are typically connected to artificial crowns on the abutments in a fixed (permanent) bridge. A removable bridge may be attached to the abutments by metal clasps or precision attachments. Traditional bridges are the most common type of bridge and are usually made of porcelain fused to metal.
  
  
• Cantilever bridge. This bridge is attached to only one abutment. The other side is not anchored. This type is most common in the back molars, which are not flanked by a tooth on both sides. It may be connected to artificial crowns or attached by metal clasps or precision attachments.
  
  
• Maryland bridge. Also called a Maryland bonded bridge or a resin-bonded bridge. This bridge has a metal framework across the back of the pontic teeth with “wings” to either side. The wings are bonded directly to the abutment teeth to hold the bridge in place. This tends to be less expensive, but it is not very strong. It is generally used in areas where biting and chewing forces are not high, such as the incisors.
  
  
• Implant-supported bridge. The bridge is anchored to implants that are attached to the jaw. It is used when two or more teeth are missing. Each missing tooth is replaced with an implant, and a series of connected artificial crowns are placed over the implants. They are either screwed into the implants or cemented into place. The connected crowns help to reduce the stress that chewing can have on individual implants, dispersing the stress over the entire length of the bridge.
  
  An implant-supported bridge may also resemble a traditional bridge, with two implant-supported crowns on either side of a suspended crown. This may be done to avoid using an implant in certain areas (e.g., where it would be too close to a nerve or sinus cavity, or where there is not enough jawbone to support the implant).