Preston Center · Dallas
Problems We Treat
Most patients arrive with a problem to solve, not a procedure in mind. This is where those problems lead: what is happening in your mouth, the range of ways to fix it, and which of them tends to make sense first. Dr. Kathia Steel, a board-certified prosthodontist in Preston Center, plans each of these cases and, for anything below, will point you to the smallest treatment that will actually hold.
Start with whichever describes your situation.
Missing teeth
One gap or a whole arch, a tooth lost recently or years ago. The options run from a removable partial to a fixed bridge to an implant restoration, and they are not all equal for every mouth.
Your options →A denture that won’t stay put
A denture that slips, rocks, clicks, or rubs, often one that fit fine when it was new. Sometimes the fix is a reline, sometimes a remake, sometimes anchoring it to implants.
When they come loose →Worn or shortened teeth
Teeth that have flattened, chipped, or grown shorter over years of grinding or an aging bite. The answer ranges from a night guard that protects what you have to rebuilding the bite when the wear is widespread.
Protect & rebuild →A cracked, chipped, or broken tooth
A tooth that has cracked or broken, or a crown that has come off. This is usually the one to call about the same day.
What to do →When the problem is bigger than one tooth
Some situations span the whole mouth at once: many teeth failing together, a bite that has collapsed, or older dental work reaching the end of its life all at the same time. That is what full mouth rehabilitation is for — the case is planned as a whole before any single tooth is touched.
If jaw pain, headaches, or clicking come with your worn or shifting teeth, the joint and the bite may be involved together; see TMJ treatment and night guards.
Why start with a prosthodontist
A prosthodontist is the dental specialist in restoring and replacing teeth, which makes the “what are my options” question the specialty’s home ground. Dr. Steel has been board-certified by the American Board of Prosthodontics since 2010. The value of that training shows up most on the everyday call between two reasonable treatments. More about her background.
Frequently asked questions
I have a problem but don’t know what treatment I need. Where do I start?
Start with the description that fits your situation above, then request a visit. An exam is what turns a symptom into a plan; Dr. Steel looks at the whole picture and lays out the options, including the simpler ones, before recommending anything.
Is my problem an emergency?
Pain that keeps you up, swelling, a knocked-out or cracked tooth, or a crown that came off should be seen quickly; call (214) 369-9000 the same day. Slow changes like a loose denture or gradual wear are worth an appointment but not an emergency. Urgent care details.
Do you always recommend the most expensive fix?
Dr. Steel points you to the smallest treatment that will hold for your situation, and says so plainly when a less involved option will serve you as well as a bigger one. The costly fix is recommended only when it is genuinely the one that lasts.
Request an appointment
Call (214) 369-9000 or request an appointment. We’ll call you within one business day to find the right appointment.
Kathia Steel, D.D.S., M.S., P.A. · 8117 Preston Rd #170, Dallas, TX 75225 · (214) 369-9000