Brunswick County · Since 1987
Crown Repair & Replacement in Oak Island, 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
crown repair, explained
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.
This treatment in Oak Island
Oak Island holds about 8,400 year-round residents and swells toward 50,000 in July, with roughly a third of the permanent population over 65.
Year-round residents in a seasonal town often go years between visits because the summer is too busy and the winter feels like the wrong time to start. Restorative work planned in the off-season avoids both problems.
A third of the permanent population is over 65, which is why so much of what we do here is restorative rather than preventive.
Oak Island's year-round population of around 8,400 swells toward 50,000 in July, and the practical dental needs of those two populations are completely different.
It is the longest regular drive in our service area, so Oak Island treatment plans are built around minimizing the number of visits.
We see patients from across Oak Island and the surrounding area, including the Oak Island Lighthouse, Fort Caswell, Ocean Crest Pier and the 28465 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.
Off-season appointments are easier to get and the drive is quicker. If it is not urgent, October through April is the better window.
It is the longest drive in our service area, so we consolidate: consults, records and treatment planned to minimize the number of trips.
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
The sequence of appointments
- 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.
If you are away for part of the year, tell us your dates at the start and we will build the schedule around them.
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 your income is seasonal, say so at the consultation. We can time treatment phases to the part of the year that suits your cash flow.
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
My crown fell off. Is it an emergency?
Call us that day. It is rarely painful, but the exposed tooth is weak and can break or decay quickly, and the sooner it is covered the more likely the original crown can go back on.
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.
How far is your office from Oak Island?
About 39 miles, or roughly 55 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 Oak Island?
Regularly. Oak Island is part of our core service area in Brunswick County, and it is the longest drive in our service area, so we consolidate: consults, records and treatment planned to minimize the number of trips.
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 · Oak Island, 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.
