New Hanover County · Since 1987
Bone Grafting in Kure Beach, NC
Bone grafting rebuilds the jawbone where it has shrunk, so an implant has something solid to anchor to. It is often the reason an answer of "not enough bone" changes to yes.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
Understanding bone grafting
Once a tooth is lost, the bone that held it starts to resorb. After a few years there may not be enough width or height left for an implant. A graft adds material that the body gradually replaces with its own bone.
Full detail on bone grafting ›
Why Kure Beach patients come to us for this
Kure Beach has the oldest resident profile in New Hanover County. A third of the town is 65 or older, and barely one in ten residents is under 18.
Extractions in older patients need planning around medications, particularly blood thinners and bone-density drugs. We review the whole medication list before scheduling anything surgical.
Thirty-two minutes each way is the reason we plan Kure Beach treatment in as few appointments as the clinical work allows.
The dental needs here skew heavily toward restorative and prosthetic work rather than preventive care for children.
Fort Fisher and the aquarium bring the visitors; the year-round community is small, settled and largely retired.
We see patients from across Kure Beach and the surrounding area, including the Kure Beach Pier, Fort Fisher, the NC Aquarium and the 28449 ZIP code.
New Hanover County is the built-out core of the region, growing around one percent a year, with roughly 21 percent of residents over 65 and the highest concentration of employer dental coverage in southeastern North Carolina.
For treatment at this level we do the planning properly before anything starts: records, a scan, and a written phased plan you take home and think about. Nobody signs anything at the first appointment.
We plan restorative treatment in as few visits as the work allows, because thirty-two minutes each way adds up fast.
You may be a candidate if
- A tooth being extracted where an implant is planned later
- Having been told you do not have enough bone for an implant
- A tooth lost years ago with a visibly sunken gum line
- A long-term denture wearer considering implants
- Bone loss from past gum disease around a planned implant site
How the treatment runs
- 3D imagingA cone beam scan measures bone width and height at the site.
- Graft placementGraft material is placed and covered, often at the same visit as an extraction.
- HealingTypically three to six months while the graft becomes bone.
- ImplantThe implant is placed into the rebuilt site, sometimes at the same appointment as the graft.
Afterwards
Expect some swelling for a few days. Avoid chewing on the site, do not smoke, and do not press on it with your tongue or a denture unless we have adjusted it. Small granules of graft material in your mouth in the first week are normal.
If getting to follow-up visits is difficult, tell us. We can often combine checks into fewer, longer appointments.
What it costs
Graft fees depend on the size of the site and the material used. A socket graft at extraction is a modest addition that often saves a far larger graft later. It appears as its own line on your implant estimate, and some plans contribute to it.
If you are on Medicare, note that it does not cover routine dental treatment. Many supplement plans include a limited dental benefit with an annual cap, and we will check yours before quoting anything.
In their own words
Hear from Dr. Barry Frazelle
Dr. Frazelle on why the injection is nothing to dread, and a cheap whitening habit he gives patients.
Questions we get asked
Where does the graft material come from?
Most dental grafts use processed donor or bovine bone that acts as a scaffold for your own bone to grow into. We explain the options at the consultation.
Does bone grafting hurt?
A socket graft adds very little to the discomfort of the extraction itself. Larger grafts are sorer for a few days.
How far is your office from Kure Beach?
About 18 miles, or roughly 32 minutes via US-421 North the length of Pleasure Island. We are at 1301 Physicians Dr in Wilmington, with parking at the door.
Do you see patients from Kure Beach?
Regularly. Kure Beach is part of our core service area in New Hanover County, and we plan restorative treatment in as few visits as the work allows, because thirty-two minutes each way adds up fast.
What are your hours?
Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, and Friday, 8:00am to 12:00pm. Outside those hours, leave a message or use the appointment request form and we will come back to you with the first available time.
Bone Grafting · Kure Beach, NC
Surgery and restoration by the same team.
The doctor placing the implant is the one planning the crown, so position is driven by where the tooth needs to end up.
- 3D cone beam planning on every case
- Single implants through full arch All-on-4
- Sedation available for surgical appointments
- Written estimate before you commit
Been told you do not have enough bone? That answer is often out of date. Bring the scan.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
Please do not include Protected Health Information. For anything urgent, call (910) 762-0958.
