New Hanover County · Since 1987
Teeth Whitening in Kure Beach, NC
Professional whitening reaches shades that strips and toothpastes cannot, and it does it without the gum burns people get from over-the-counter kits.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
Understanding whitening
The active ingredient is the same family of peroxide you find in a drugstore. The difference is concentration, contact time, and trays made from a mold of your teeth so the gel sits on enamel rather than gum.
Patients from Kure Beach
Kure Beach has the oldest resident profile in New Hanover County. A third of the town is 65 or older, and barely one in ten residents is under 18.
Cosmetic work after sixty is usually about wear rather than color. Teeth that have been shortening for decades change the whole lower face, and putting the length back does more for how someone looks than whitening ever could.
Fort Fisher and the aquarium bring the visitors; the year-round community is small, settled and largely retired.
Thirty-two minutes each way is the reason we plan Kure Beach treatment in as few appointments as the clinical work allows.
The dental needs here skew heavily toward restorative and prosthetic work rather than preventive care for children.
We see patients from across Kure Beach and the surrounding area, including the Kure Beach Pier, Fort Fisher, the NC Aquarium and the 28449 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.
A shorter recall interval is usually the right call at this stage, because medication-related dry mouth changes decay risk faster than most people expect.
We plan restorative treatment in as few visits as the work allows, because thirty-two minutes each way adds up fast.
You may be a candidate if
- Yellowing from coffee, tea, red wine or tobacco
- General dulling that has come on with age
- A special occasion on the calendar
- Healthy teeth and gums with no untreated decay
- Natural teeth rather than crowns or veneers, which do not lighten
The sequence of appointments
- Exam and shade recordWe photograph the starting shade so the change is measurable rather than a matter of opinion.
- Custom traysImpressions go to the lab and trays come back fitted to your arch.
- At-home whiteningUsually two weeks of short daily wear. We adjust the schedule if sensitivity shows up.
- ReviewWe re-photograph, compare, and top up if the shade is not where you want it.
Afterwards
Avoid deeply pigmented food and drink for the first 48 hours after each session. Keep the trays. A single top-up night every few months holds the shade for years.
If getting to follow-up visits is difficult, tell us. We can often combine checks into fewer, longer appointments.
What it costs
Whitening is the lowest-cost cosmetic treatment we offer and it is usually a few hundred dollars including custom trays and gel. It is almost never covered by insurance. Many patients start here before deciding whether they want anything more involved.
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
Do crowns and veneers whiten too?
No. Porcelain and composite hold their shade. If you plan to whiten and also replace old restorations, whiten first and match the new work to the lighter shade.
How long do the results last?
One to three years depending on diet and smoking. Top-ups with your existing trays are cheap and quick.
How far is your office from Kure Beach?
About 18 miles, or roughly 32 minutes via US-421 North the length of Pleasure Island. We are at 1301 Physicians Dr in Wilmington, with parking at the door.
Do you see patients from Kure Beach?
Regularly. Kure Beach is part of our core service area in New Hanover County, and we plan restorative treatment in as few visits as the work allows, because thirty-two minutes each way adds up fast.
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.
Teeth Whitening · Kure Beach, NC
See the result before it is permanent.
Every cosmetic case is mocked up and worn in temporary form before anything final is made. You approve the shape and the shade.
- Cosmetic dentistry is the practice's stated specialty
- Digital design and trial smile before preparation
- Shade-matched lab work with in-person verification
- 50,000+ patients treated since 1987
Afraid of the overdone look? So are we. The brief on nearly every case here is to look like yourself, rested.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
Please do not include Protected Health Information. For anything urgent, call (910) 762-0958.
