Brunswick County · Since 1987
Invisalign in Southport, 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
Understanding 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.
Why Southport patients come to us for this
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.
Adult orthodontics well past retirement is more common than people expect, usually to fix crowding that has slowly worsened since the twenties and now traps food and plaque.
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
- 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
The sequence of appointments
- 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 getting to follow-up visits is difficult, tell us. We can often combine checks into fewer, longer appointments.
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 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. Barry Frazelle
Dr. Frazelle on why the injection is nothing to dread, and a cheap whitening habit he gives patients.
Questions we get asked
What if I lose an aligner?
Go back to the previous one and call us. We will order a replacement or move you forward depending on where you are in the series.
Is it as good as braces?
For the great majority of adult cases, yes. Fixed braces still hold an advantage in complex bite correction, and we refer when that is the honest answer.
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.
Invisalign · Southport, 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.
