There are three realistic options: a dental implant, which replaces the root as well as the tooth and stands on its own; a bridge, which is fixed but uses the neighbouring teeth for support; or a denture, which is removable and the least expensive. Which one suits you depends on the gap, your bone, your gums and your budget - and we'll be straight with you about the trade-offs.

Teeth drift into a space over time, and the tooth opposite can over-erupt because it has nothing to bite against. That changes your bite, makes cleaning harder, and can complicate replacing the tooth later. The bone where the root used to be also shrinks away gradually, which matters if you might want an implant down the line.

There's no cliff edge, but the sooner you decide the more options you keep open. If you know an implant is something you'd want eventually, it's worth telling us early, because bone can be preserved at the time the tooth comes out rather than rebuilt expensively later.

Single implants start from £2,995 and bridges and dentures cost less. We'll give you written costs for each option that suits you so you can compare them properly. Treatment from £400 upwards can be spread over 12 months at 0% interest through Tabeo, with no deposit needed to start.

In almost every case, no. We can provide a temporary tooth while an implant heals or while a bridge is being made, so you don't walk around with a visible gap. If the missing tooth is at the front, tell us - it changes how we plan the sequence.

Book a free consultation with Jody, our treatment co-ordinator. She'll spend 45 minutes going through what's possible, take a scan so you can see your own mouth on screen, and give you indicative costs for each route before you commit to anything.