Morehead City is roughly a two hour drive to our Oleander Drive office, southwest along US-17 and NC-24.
Morehead City is a two hour drive, and we are honest about what that means: this is not somewhere to come for routine dentistry. Crystal Coast patients who make the trip are almost always dealing with something their local dentist has referred out or that has already been attempted once.
Full mouth reconstruction, full-arch implant cases, and retreatment of work that failed are what justify this distance. Those cases involve months of planning and healing anyway, so a handful of longer appointments spread over a year is a manageable trade for having a prosthodontist plan it.
We regularly see patients from Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, Beaufort, and Newport, and from across the area around the Morehead City waterfront, Bogue Sound.
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A dental implant is a small titanium post that takes the place of a missing tooth root. It is placed in the jawbone, where the bone gradually fuses to its surface — a process called osseointegration — creating a foundation strong enough to carry a crown, a bridge, or a full arch of teeth.
That foundation is what separates implants from every other tooth replacement. A denture rests on the gums. A traditional bridge leans on the teeth beside the gap. An implant stands on its own, anchored in bone, which is why it feels less like an appliance and more like a tooth.
It helps to think of an implant as three parts: the implant itself in the bone, an abutment that connects through the gum, and the restoration — the visible crown or bridge. Dr. Pan is a prosthodontist, which means she designs and places that restoration: the part you see, bite with, and live with every day.
We start with a 3D scan and a conversation about what you want the result to do. Dr. Pan plans the restoration, coordinates placement with a trusted surgeon, keeps you in a temporary while the implant integrates, then designs and fits the final tooth.
A full 1.5 hours. We image your jaw, assess bone volume, review your bite and medical history, and tell you honestly whether implants are the right answer for you.
Dr. Pan designs the final tooth, then maps the implant position to suit it. You get a written sequence, timeline, and itemised cost before anything is booked.
A trusted oral surgeon or periodontist places the implant to Dr. Pan’s plan. You wear a temporary while the bone integrates over three to four months.
Dr. Pan fits, adjusts, and refines the custom crown or bridge until the bite is right and it disappears among your natural teeth.
Dr. Pan plans the finished tooth first, then works backwards to the implant position — coordinating with your surgeon so the hardware ends up where the restoration needs it. She designs every restoration herself and completes much of the lab work in-office, which is why implant crowns from this practice match the teeth beside them.
Call before you drive. We will discuss your case on the phone first and tell you honestly whether it warrants the trip, and we will schedule as much into each visit as the clinical sequence allows.
Morehead City is roughly a two hour drive to our Oleander Drive office, southwest along US-17 and NC-24.
