You definitely do not have to walk around with a gap in your smile while waiting for your bone to heal. Dentists offer several temporary options to bridge the gap in visible areas. A “flipper” is a common choice, which is a lightweight, removable partial denture that you can pop in and out. In other cases, a “Maryland bridge” might be used to bond a temporary tooth to the back of its neighbors. If the implant is exceptionally stable from the start, some dentists can even place a temporary crown immediately, though you have to be very careful not to bite anything hard with it. These temporary fixes ensure you can talk and smile with confidence while the permanent tooth is being crafted.