Brunswick County · Since 1987
Implant-Supported Dentures in Southport, NC
An implant-supported denture clips onto two or more implants, so it stops moving when you eat and talk. It is the middle path between a conventional denture and a fixed full arch.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
The basics of implant-supported dentures
A lower denture resting on the gum has very little to hold on to, which is why so many people give up on theirs. Two implants in the front of the jaw, with attachments that the denture snaps onto, change that completely. An upper can be stabilized the same way, usually with four.
Full detail on implant-supported dentures ›
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.
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.
Almost 45 percent of Southport is 65 or older, and St. James Plantation next door adds thousands more active-adult households.
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.
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.
For treatment at this level we do the planning properly before anything starts: records, a scan, and a written phased plan you take home and think about. Nobody signs anything at the first appointment.
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
- A lower denture that moves, rubs or needs adhesive
- Missing all the teeth in an arch
- Wanting implant stability without the cost of a fixed full arch
- Being happy to remove the denture at night to clean it
- A current denture that fits well enough to be converted
From first visit to finished result
- Consultation and 3D scanCone beam imaging shows where the bone will take an implant.
- Implant placementUsually two implants for a lower, four for an upper, often under sedation.
- HealingA few months while the implants integrate. You wear your denture, relieved over the implant sites.
- AttachmentsThe denture is fitted with housings that snap onto the implants, either your existing one or a new one.
Afterwards
Remove and clean the denture daily, and brush around the implant attachments. The nylon inserts that give the snap wear out and are replaced every year or so; that is routine maintenance, not a failure.
If getting to follow-up visits is difficult, tell us. We can often combine checks into fewer, longer appointments.
What it costs
Implant-supported dentures cost more than a conventional denture and considerably less than a fixed full arch. Many plans cover part of the denture, and some now contribute to implants. We give you a written estimate covering implants, attachments and the denture, and go through monthly financing at the consultation.
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
Will I still need adhesive?
No. The attachments hold the denture in place.
Is the surgery painful?
Placing two implants is a shorter procedure than most people expect, and sedation is available. Most patients describe a few days of soreness.
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.
Implant-Supported Dentures · Southport, NC
You have probably been told several different things about this.
Bring the opinions you have already been given. We will look at your scan with you and say which parts we agree with.
- Three doctors, 50+ years of combined experience
- Implant surgery and restoration in one building
- Sedation available for longer appointments
- Written, phased treatment plans with costs attached
Worried it is too much work at your age? Health matters far more than the number, and we will tell you if we think a smaller plan serves you better.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
Please do not include Protected Health Information. For anything urgent, call (910) 762-0958.
