Surf City is about a 40 minute drive to our Oleander Drive office, over the bridge and down US-17.
Surf City has grown from a summer town into a year-round community, and the dental needs have grown with it. We see families from the mainland side and the island, and the mix of cases is broader than the beach towns further south: as many chipped and cracked teeth from active lifestyles as failing older restorations.
For anything involving implants, a full arch, or a bite that needs rebuilding, Surf City patients come into Wilmington. The drive is about forty minutes, and the high-rise bridge removed the old drawbridge wait that used to make it unpredictable.
We regularly see patients from the Surf City mainland, Soundside, Del Mar Beach, and the north end of Topsail Island, and from across the area around the Surf City bridge, Soundside Park.
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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.
We schedule Surf City patients in longer blocks where the clinical sequence allows, so a single trip covers more than one step of your plan.
Surf City is about a 40 minute drive to our Oleander Drive office, over the bridge and down US-17.
