New Hanover County · Since 1987
Dental Bridges in Kure Beach, NC
A bridge fills a gap by anchoring a replacement tooth to the teeth on either side. It is fixed in place, so nothing comes out at night.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
Understanding bridges
Bridges are the established answer to a single missing tooth when the neighboring teeth already need crowns anyway. If those teeth are untouched and healthy, an implant is usually the more conservative choice, and we will tell you that.
This treatment in Kure Beach
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.
Most of the restorative work we do for this community is second-generation: replacing crowns and bridges placed twenty or thirty years ago that have finally given out. The question is rarely whether to treat it, it is whether to keep patching or rebuild properly.
Fort Fisher and the aquarium bring the visitors; the year-round community is small, settled and largely retired.
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.
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.
We will tell you honestly whether this is worth doing now or whether it can be watched for a year, and we will say which of your existing work is likely to fail next.
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
- One or two missing teeth in a row
- Healthy teeth on both sides of the gap
- Teeth beside the gap that already have large fillings or crowns
- A preference for fixed rather than removable
- Bone loss that rules out an implant without grafting
From first visit to finished result
- AssessmentWe check the support teeth, the bone, and whether an implant would serve you better.
- PreparationThe anchor teeth are shaped and we take a digital scan.
- Temporary bridgeYou leave with the gap filled while the lab works.
- Fit and cementWe verify the bite and the fit under the pontic, then cement.
Afterwards
Cleaning under the bridge is the whole game. A floss threader or water flosser daily keeps the tissue healthy and the anchor teeth decay-free. We will show you the technique and check it at every hygiene visit.
If getting to follow-up visits is difficult, tell us. We can often combine checks into fewer, longer appointments.
What it costs
A three-unit bridge is priced as three crowns, and most plans cover it at the same percentage they cover a single crown. We produce a written estimate against your benefits before treatment and go through payment options if the balance is significant.
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
Can a bridge replace more than one tooth?
Yes, within limits. The longer the span, the more force on the anchor teeth, and at some point an implant-supported solution becomes the sounder option.
Does it feel different from a natural tooth?
Most patients stop noticing within a week or two. Speech adapts quickly.
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.
Dental Bridges · Kure Beach, NC
Honest dentistry, since 1987.
We will tell you what needs doing now, what can wait, and what we would leave alone.
- Over 50,000 patients treated since 1987
- Comprehensive new patient exam including oral cancer screening
- Three doctors and a long-tenured team
- Most major dental plans accepted
Been told you need a lot of work somewhere else? Second opinions are welcome and we give them straight.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
Please do not include Protected Health Information. For anything urgent, call (910) 762-0958.
