Brunswick County · Since 1987
Emergency Dentistry in Southport, NC
Broken tooth, lost crown, swelling, or pain that woke you up. Call us first thing and we will find you a slot the same day wherever we can.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
What to know about emergency care
Not everything that feels urgent is urgent, and some things that do not hurt are. Swelling that is spreading, a tooth knocked completely out, or pain that no longer responds to over-the-counter medication all need attention today.
Full detail on emergency care ›
What we see from 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.
A broken tooth on a long-standing bridge is the emergency we see most from this group, and it needs handling quickly because the abutment underneath is usually decayed.
Patients come up from Southport specifically for implant and full-arch work, which is a deliberate choice over closer options.
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.
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.
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.
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
- Severe or throbbing toothache
- A knocked-out or loosened tooth after an impact
- A cracked or broken tooth, with or without pain
- A lost filling or crown
- Facial swelling, or a gum abscess
- Something sharp cutting your tongue or cheek
Your treatment, start to finish
- Call usDescribe what happened. We will tell you what to do in the meantime and get you scheduled.
- Triage and imagingA targeted x-ray and exam of the area, not a full workup.
- Relief firstThe immediate goal is out of pain and stable.
- Definitive planOnce the urgency is handled we talk about the permanent fix.
Afterwards
If a tooth is knocked out, hold it by the crown, rinse it gently in milk or saline, and either reseat it in the socket or keep it in milk while you get to us. Time matters enormously for reimplantation. For a broken tooth, rinse with warm salt water and avoid chewing on that side.
If getting to follow-up visits is difficult, tell us. We can often combine checks into fewer, longer appointments.
What it costs
Emergency visits are covered by most plans as a limited exam plus whatever treatment is needed. We will tell you what the visit costs before you sit down, and we will separate what has to happen today from what can be scheduled and budgeted.
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. Josh Winneberger
Dr. Winneberger on getting you numb without you noticing, and helping nervous patients get comfortable in the chair.
Questions we get asked
Do you see emergency patients who are not already patients here?
Yes. You do not need to be an existing patient.
What counts as a real dental emergency?
Uncontrolled pain, spreading swelling, bleeding that will not stop, or a tooth that has been knocked out. Swelling that is moving toward the eye or the floor of the mouth is a hospital visit, not a dental one.
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.
Emergency Dentistry · Southport, 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.
