Brunswick County · Since 1987
Bone Grafting in Leland, 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
What to know about 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 ›
Leland patients and this treatment
Leland is the fastest-growing town in the fastest-growing county in North Carolina, and roughly a third of residents are 65 or older.
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.
The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is the whole conversation for Leland patients, and we are the first practice on the Wilmington side of it.
Half of Leland arrived in the last decade, which means a lot of our new patients here are transferring records from another state rather than another practice.
Brunswick Forest, Compass Pointe, Magnolia Greens and Waterford between them account for a large share of the town's households, and most of them are new construction.
We see patients from across Leland and the surrounding area, including Brunswick Forest, Compass Pointe, Magnolia Greens and the 28451 and 28479 ZIP codes.
Brunswick County is the fastest-growing county in North Carolina and the sixth fastest in the country, up about a quarter since 2020, and 35 percent of residents are 65 or older. That combination, rapid in-migration and an older population, is why so much of our Brunswick caseload is restorative.
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 are the first dental practice across the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, which makes us closer to most of Leland than anything on the Brunswick side of the river.
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
The sequence of appointments
- 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
How long before I can get the implant?
Usually three to six months. Some sites can be grafted and implanted in one appointment.
Why graft a socket if I am not ready for an implant yet?
Because the bone shrinks fastest in the first months after an extraction. Preserving it now keeps the option open and avoids a bigger graft later.
How far is your office from Leland?
About 9 miles, or roughly 18 minutes via US-74/76 East over the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. We are at 1301 Physicians Dr in Wilmington, with parking at the door.
Do you see patients from Leland?
Regularly. Leland is part of our core service area in Brunswick County, and we are the first dental practice across the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, which makes us closer to most of Leland than anything on the Brunswick side of the river.
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 · Leland, 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.
