New Hanover County · Since 1987
Dental Crowns in Kure Beach, NC
A crown covers a tooth that has lost too much structure to hold a filling. It is what keeps a cracked or heavily restored tooth in your mouth.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
What to know about crowns
Teeth that have been filled and refilled over decades eventually run out of enamel to grip. A crown wraps the whole tooth and puts the chewing forces back through the root instead of through a fracture line.
What we see from 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.
The dental needs here skew heavily toward restorative and prosthetic work rather than preventive care for children.
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.
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
- A cracked tooth, or one that hurts on release when you bite
- A large old filling that keeps breaking away at the edges
- A tooth that has had a root canal
- A worn-down back tooth that no longer meets its opposite
- A front tooth that needs both strength and appearance
How the treatment runs
- Exam and x-rayWe confirm the tooth is restorable and the nerve is healthy.
- PreparationThe tooth is shaped, we take a digital scan, and a temporary crown goes on.
- Lab fabricationThe permanent crown is built to your bite and shade.
- Fit and cementWe check contacts and bite, adjust, then cement it.
Afterwards
Sensitivity to cold for a week or two is normal. Floss it, do not skip it, because the margin at the gum is where a crowned tooth fails. Come to your cleanings and we will watch that margin for you.
If getting to follow-up visits is difficult, tell us. We can often combine checks into fewer, longer appointments.
What it costs
Most dental plans cover crowns at a percentage after the deductible, often around half. Cost varies with the material and whether the tooth needs a build-up first. We run the estimate through your benefits before scheduling so the number you hear is the number you pay.
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
Do I need a root canal before a crown?
Only if the nerve is already damaged or dying. Plenty of crowns go on teeth with perfectly healthy nerves.
My temporary crown came off. Is that an emergency?
Call us and we will get you in. Keep the temporary if you can, avoid chewing on that side, and do not leave the prepared tooth uncovered for long.
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 Crowns · 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.
