Prosthodontic Services
Dental Crowns and Bridges in Dallas
Dental crowns and bridges restore teeth that are too damaged for a filling and replace teeth that are already missing. A crown is a cap that covers a cracked, worn, or heavily filled tooth; a bridge replaces missing teeth by anchoring to the teeth on either side of the gap. Both are made here by Dr. Kathia Steel, a board-certified prosthodontist.
The guiding rule is restraint: not every damaged tooth needs a crown. If a filling will hold, we place a filling instead. When a crown or bridge genuinely is the right choice, it's planned and built to last.
Crowns: when a tooth needs more than a filling
A crown covers the whole visible tooth, protecting what is left of one that is cracked, worn down, or so heavily filled that another filling would leave too little tooth behind. It's also the usual finish for a tooth after a root canal or an implant restoration.
The decision is not automatic. A filling replaces only the damaged part of a tooth and removes less healthy structure, so it's the better choice whenever enough sound tooth remains to hold it. A crown makes sense when the remaining tooth needs to be wrapped and held together. Dr. Steel will show you which situation you're in before recommending either.
Bridges: replacing a missing tooth without surgery
A bridge fills the gap left by one or more missing teeth by anchoring crowns to the natural teeth on each side. It's fixed in place, so you never take it out, and it restores chewing and appearance in a few visits without surgery.
A bridge does mean reshaping the neighboring teeth to hold it, which is worth weighing against a dental implant that replaces the tooth without touching its neighbors. Dr. Steel lays out both options: cost, longevity, and what each does to the surrounding teeth.
The process and timeline
Crowns and bridges are made over a small number of visits:
- Exam and planning. Dr. Steel examines the tooth, reviews digital X-rays, and confirms whether a crown, a bridge, a filling, or an implant restoration is the right answer.
- Preparation and digital impression. The tooth is shaped, and a digital impression is taken with an intraoral scanner — a small wand that captures the tooth in detail without the old putty trays.
- Fabrication. The scan goes to the lab, which builds the crown or bridge to fit your bite. A temporary protects the tooth in the meantime.
- Fitting. At the next visit, the restoration is checked for fit, bite, and color, adjusted as needed, and cemented in place.
There is no same-day-crown or CEREC milling here; the restoration is lab-fabricated to a prosthodontist's specifications, which is where the fit and longevity come from.
Why a prosthodontist
Prosthodontics is the dental specialty devoted to restoring and replacing teeth, and crowns and bridges are at its center.
The details that decide whether a crown lasts five years or twenty-five — how the tooth is prepared, how the bite is balanced, how the margins seal — are exactly what the specialty trains for.
Board-certified by the American Board of Prosthodontics since 2010, Dr. Steel spent a decade before that at UT Southwestern restoring teeth far more compromised than most crowns ever face, which is the judgment now behind a routine one here. See what a prosthodontist does, and when to see one.
Before and after
Before-and-after photos to be added once patients give written consent.
What patients say
Patient reviews to be added.
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need a crown, or will a filling do?
It depends on how much healthy tooth is left. If enough sound structure remains to hold a filling, we place a filling. A crown is for a tooth that needs to be wrapped and held together. Dr. Steel will show you which case yours is.
How long do crowns and bridges last?
With good care, many years. Longevity depends on how the tooth is prepared and the bite is balanced — the details a prosthodontist focuses on. Regular checkups and cleanings protect the investment.
Do you make crowns the same day?
Crowns and bridges here are lab-fabricated to specification from a digital impression, which is where the fit and durability come from, so plan on a small number of visits rather than one. There is no CEREC or same-day milling in the office.
Is a bridge or an implant better for a missing tooth?
Each has trade-offs. A bridge is faster and needs no surgery but reshapes the neighboring teeth; an implant leaves them untouched but takes longer. Dr. Steel will compare both for your specific gap.
Does getting a crown hurt?
The preparation is done under local anesthetic, so the visit itself is comfortable. For anxious patients or longer appointments, sedation options are available.
Request an appointment
Call (214) 369-9000 or request an appointment online. 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