Brunswick County · Since 1987
Cosmetic Dentistry in Southport, NC
Cosmetic dentistry is the part of our practice we are known for. It covers everything from a single chipped front tooth to rebuilding an entire smile.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
The basics of cosmetic dentistry
Most cosmetic cases are a combination rather than one procedure. Whitening first so the shade is set, then veneers or crowns matched to it, sometimes gum contouring to even out the line where tooth meets tissue.
Full detail on cosmetic dentistry ›
This treatment in Southport
Southport is the oldest town in our service area, almost 45 percent of residents are 65 or older, and St. James adds thousands more active-adult households next door.
Cosmetic work after sixty is usually about wear rather than color. Teeth that have been shortening for decades change the whole lower face, and putting the length back does more for how someone looks than whitening ever could.
The drive is long enough that we consolidate consults, records and treatment planning rather than spreading them across separate trips.
Almost 45 percent of Southport is 65 or older, and St. James Plantation next door adds thousands more active-adult households.
Patients come up from Southport specifically for implant and full-arch work, which is a deliberate choice over closer options.
We see patients from across Southport and the surrounding area, including the Southport Historic District, Fort Johnston, Franklin Square Park and the 28461 ZIP code.
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.
Patients drive up from Southport for full-arch and implant work specifically. We build the treatment plan around the drive, not around our schedule.
You may be a candidate if
- Teeth that are stained, worn short, chipped or uneven
- Gaps you have never liked in photographs
- A gum line that shows too much or sits unevenly
- Old bonding or crowns that no longer match
- A bite that has worn down over the years
How the treatment runs
- Smile consultationWe talk about what bothers you, take photos, and look at how your teeth meet.
- Design and mock-upYou see the proposed shape and shade before treatment starts.
- PreparationConservative where it can be. We remove as little tooth structure as the case allows.
- TemporariesYou wear the shape for a week or two and tell us what to change.
- Final placementThe lab builds to the approved design and we bond it in.
Afterwards
Porcelain does not stain the way enamel does, so the shade holds. Night grinding is the main threat to cosmetic work, and we will make you a guard if your wear pattern calls for one.
If getting to follow-up visits is difficult, tell us. We can often combine checks into fewer, longer appointments.
What it costs
Cosmetic work is quoted per tooth and per procedure, and the range is wide because the cases are. Whitening is a few hundred dollars. A full set of veneers is a different conversation. We price the plan at the consultation and never start work before you have seen the number.
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. Carter Lee
Dr. Lee on fixing only what needs fixing, and what it is like to hand a patient the mirror after a smile transformation.
Questions we get asked
Will it look obviously fake?
Only if it is designed that way. We work from your face, not from a catalogue shade. Most patients want to look like themselves on a good day.
How long does cosmetic work take?
A whitening case is two weeks. Veneers usually run three to four appointments over a month. Full mouth rehabilitation can span a year.
How far is your office from Southport?
About 30 miles, or roughly 48 minutes via NC-211 to US-17 North, then US-74/76 over the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. We are at 1301 Physicians Dr in Wilmington, with parking at the door.
Do you see patients from Southport?
Regularly. Southport is part of our core service area in Brunswick County, and patients drive up from Southport for full-arch and implant work specifically. We build the treatment plan around the drive, not around our schedule.
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.
Cosmetic Dentistry · Southport, NC
See the result before it is permanent.
Every cosmetic case is mocked up and worn in temporary form before anything final is made. You approve the shape and the shade.
- Cosmetic dentistry is the practice's stated specialty
- Digital design and trial smile before preparation
- Shade-matched lab work with in-person verification
- 50,000+ patients treated since 1987
Afraid of the overdone look? So are we. The brief on nearly every case here is to look like yourself, rested.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
Please do not include Protected Health Information. For anything urgent, call (910) 762-0958.
