New Hanover County · Since 1987
Oral Surgery in Porters Neck, NC
We do extractions, bone grafting, implant placement and wisdom teeth in this building. For most patients that means no separate referral and no second set of records.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
Understanding oral surgery
Having surgery and restoration under one roof matters more than it sounds. The doctor who places the implant is the one who plans the crown, so the position is driven by where the tooth needs to be.
What we see from Porters Neck
More than a third of Porters Neck is 65 or older, and almost nobody moves, vacancy here runs around seven percent.
Extractions in older patients need planning around medications, particularly blood thinners and bone-density drugs. We review the whole medication list before scheduling anything surgical.
Porters Neck Plantation and Porters Neck Village together hold much of the community's older population, and both are a straight run down Market Street.
Vacancy here is around seven percent, so patients tend to stay with a practice for decades rather than years.
A lot of the restorative work we do for Porters Neck involves replacing crowns and bridges placed elsewhere in the 1990s.
We see patients from across Porters Neck and the surrounding area, including Porters Neck Plantation, Porters Neck Village, Poplar Grove and the 28411 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.
This is the kind of restorative work we do most: patients who kept their teeth a long time and now want a plan that holds for the next twenty years.
You may be a candidate if
- A tooth that cannot be saved
- Impacted or problematic wisdom teeth
- A site that needs bone grafting before an implant
- Implant placement
- Exposure of a tooth for orthodontic treatment
What the process looks like
- Consultation and 3D imagingCone beam imaging shows nerve position and bone anatomy before anything is planned.
- Anesthesia planLocal, nitrous, oral or IV sedation depending on the case and on you.
- ProcedureMost extractions and single implant placements take well under an hour.
- Follow-upWe see you to check healing, and again when it is time for the restoration.
Afterwards
Bite on gauze, ice on and off for the first day, and no straws or smoking for at least 72 hours because both can pull a clot loose. Soft food, and take the pain medication before the anesthetic wears off rather than after.
If getting to follow-up visits is difficult, tell us. We can often combine checks into fewer, longer appointments.
What it costs
Surgical fees depend on complexity, whether the tooth is impacted, and the level of sedation used. Medical and dental coverage sometimes overlap here. We check both, and you get the estimate before the surgical date is set.
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
Will I be put to sleep?
You can be sedated to the point where you will not remember it. General anesthesia in a hospital setting is rarely necessary for routine oral surgery.
How long is recovery from an extraction?
Most of the discomfort passes in two to three days. A simple extraction has you back to normal within a week.
How far is your office from Porters Neck?
About 13 miles, or roughly 22 minutes via Market Street (US-17) or I-140 to MLK Jr. Parkway. We are at 1301 Physicians Dr in Wilmington, with parking at the door.
Do you see patients from Porters Neck?
Regularly. Porters Neck is part of our core service area in New Hanover County, and this is the kind of restorative work we do most: patients who kept their teeth a long time and now want a plan that holds for the next twenty years.
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.
Oral Surgery · Porters Neck, 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.
