Bridge or Implant?

Batsheva, a dental implant patient from New York, asks us:

I am in my late 40’s, and am missing tooth #13, #14 is a root canal, and #12 is a healthy tooth. I look terrible with the missing tooth, but am very afraid of doing a dental implant.

I recently went to a top dentist in New York and asked him to make me a bridge. He told me that in this day and age it as absolutely ridiculous to have a bridge, and to shave down a healthy tooth when one can have a dental implant. However, I worry about the long term health ramifications of implants, i.e. the metal in the body, complications, etc.

Granted that for some people dental implants changed their lives for the better, and it all depends on the circumstances, but what is so wrong with a bridge in my situation? Is there truly such a huge benefit for dental implants over a bridge? Thank you for your response.