Someone who has one or two missing teeth and wants a reasonably secure and semi-permanent solution may benefit from bridges. The bridge is needed to help make it easier to process food, maintain the structure of the jawline and give the patient a smile to be proud of. The abutment teeth have to be healthy enough to support a crown. Generally, a good candidate for a crown will likely also be a good candidate for bridgework.

Since a crown is only a superficial covering, the inner parts of the tooth have to be healthy to support it. A dentist must examine the inside of the tooth using x-rays to confirm that the tooth is healthy enough for a crown. Patients who have root canal therapy are also candidates for crowns.