Brunswick County · Since 1987
Invisalign in Oak Island, NC
Invisalign moves teeth with a series of clear removable aligners. Adults choose it because nobody has to know it is happening.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
The basics of Invisalign
Each aligner is worn about 22 hours a day for a week or two, then swapped for the next. The sequence is planned digitally from a scan, so you see the projected end position before you start.
Oak Island patients and this treatment
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.
Aligner treatment suits a seasonal schedule because check-in visits are short and infrequent, and the trays come out for anything you need them out for.
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.
A third of the permanent population is over 65, which is why so much of what we do here is restorative rather than preventive.
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.
Start large treatment in the autumn. The planning and provisional phases run through the quiet months and the finished result is in place before the season picks up.
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
- Crowded or overlapping teeth
- Gaps you want closed
- A bite that has shifted since childhood orthodontics
- A teenager who will wear them
- Willingness to keep them in 22 hours a day
How the treatment runs
- Complimentary consultationWe scan, look at the bite, and tell you whether aligners are the right tool.
- Digital treatment planYou see a simulation of the movement and the projected finish.
- Aligner seriesNew trays every one to two weeks, with short check-in visits along the way.
- RefinementMost cases get a short second series to fine-tune the finish.
- RetentionA retainer holds the result. Teeth move for life without one.
Afterwards
Wear the retainer. Every relapse case we see traces back to a retainer that lived in a drawer. Beyond that, clean the aligners daily and keep up your normal hygiene visits.
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
Invisalign is priced by case complexity and length. Many dental plans include an orthodontic benefit that applies to adults as well as children, and it is worth checking even if you assume you have none. The orthodontic consultation itself is complimentary.
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. Barry Frazelle
Dr. Frazelle on why the injection is nothing to dread, and a cheap whitening habit he gives patients.
Questions we get asked
Can people tell I am wearing them?
At conversational distance, generally not. They are noticeable in close-up photographs and you take them out to eat.
Does it hurt?
There is pressure and tenderness for a day after each new aligner. It fades and it is milder than the tightening cycle of fixed braces.
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.
Invisalign · Oak Island, NC
One trip. Everybody seen.
We block consecutive appointments so a family visit is one morning rather than three separate afternoons.
- General, cosmetic, orthodontic and surgical care under one roof
- Consecutive family scheduling on request
- Sealants and preventive care for children
- Most major dental plans accepted
Nervous child? Tell us before the appointment and we will slow the whole thing down.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
Please do not include Protected Health Information. For anything urgent, call (910) 762-0958.
