Pender County · Since 1987
Crown Repair & Replacement in Hampstead, NC
A crown that has come off, cracked, chipped or started to hurt needs looking at soon. Sometimes it can be recemented the same day. Sometimes the tooth underneath is the real problem.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
A closer look at crown repair
Crowns fail in a handful of predictable ways. The cement washes out and the crown comes loose. Decay gets in at the edge where it meets the gum. The porcelain chips. Or the tooth underneath fractures. Each one has a different fix, and an x-ray tells us which one we are dealing with.
Why Hampstead patients come to us for this
Hampstead families moved here for the Topsail schools and drive into Wilmington for almost everything else.
Parents put their own treatment off for years while keeping every appointment for their children. We book adult treatment alongside the kids so it stops being a separate trip.
We block consecutive appointments for Hampstead families so a single trip down US-17 covers the whole household.
Families moved to Hampstead for the Topsail schools, and the trade-off is a US-17 commute that everybody here has an opinion about.
Olde Point and Castle Bay send us a steady stream of patients, and the Hampstead Bypass will shorten that drive when the first segment opens.
We see patients from across Hampstead and the surrounding area, including the Topsail schools, Olde Point, Castle Bay Country Club and the 28443 ZIP code.
Pender County is the second fastest-growing county in the state and it has the highest share of under-18s in the region at over 22 percent. Family scheduling and preventive care carry more weight here than anywhere else we serve.
We will lay out what needs doing now against what can wait a year, which matters when a family is working against one annual maximum.
We book families together so one trip down US-17 covers everybody, and the Hampstead Bypass will only make that drive shorter.
You may be a candidate if
- A crown that has come off, whole or in pieces
- A crown that feels loose or moves when you chew
- Chipped or cracked porcelain
- A dark line or gap at the gum edge of an old crown
- Pain, sensitivity or a bad taste around a crowned tooth
Your treatment, start to finish
- Exam and x-rayWe check whether the crown, the cement or the tooth underneath has failed.
- Recement or repairA sound crown on a sound tooth is cleaned and cemented back on. A small porcelain chip can sometimes be smoothed or bonded.
- Replacement if neededDecay is removed, the tooth is built back up if necessary, and a new crown is made from a digital scan.
- Bite checkWe adjust the contacts and bite so the new or recemented crown carries load evenly.
Afterwards
If the crown comes off before you can get here, keep it, keep the tooth clean, and avoid chewing on that side. Do not glue it back yourself with household adhesive; it traps decay under the crown and makes the eventual repair harder.
Follow-up checks are quick, and we will put them alongside another family member's appointment where we can.
What it costs
Recementing a crown that is still in good condition is a small visit. A replacement is priced as a new crown, and most dental plans cover it at their crown percentage once the original is past the plan's replacement window, commonly five to seven years. We check that window before quoting.
If more than one family member needs treatment, we look at the annual maximums together and sequence the work so the plan pays as much of it as possible.
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
Can you just glue my old crown back on?
Often, yes, if the crown is intact and the tooth underneath is healthy. We check both before recementing.
Why does my crowned tooth hurt?
Common causes are decay at the margin, a crack in the tooth, a high bite, or a nerve that is failing. An x-ray and a bite test usually tell which.
How far is your office from Hampstead?
About 21 miles, or roughly 35 minutes via US-17 South (Market Street) to MLK Jr. Parkway. We are at 1301 Physicians Dr in Wilmington, with parking at the door.
Do you see patients from Hampstead?
Regularly. Hampstead is part of our core service area in Pender County, and we book families together so one trip down US-17 covers everybody, and the Hampstead Bypass will only make that drive shorter.
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.
Crown Repair & Replacement · Hampstead, NC
Call. Do not wait it out.
We keep time open each morning for urgent cases. Monday through Thursday, 8:00 to 5:00, and Friday, 8:00 to 12:00.
- Same-day appointments where the schedule allows
- Emergency patients seen whether or not you are established here
- Extractions and oral surgery on site
- Pain relief first, permanent plan second
Not sure it counts as an emergency? Call and describe it. We will tell you.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
Please do not include Protected Health Information. For anything urgent, call (910) 762-0958.
