You know you need to go to your dentist in New Bern. Maybe a tooth has been bothering you for months, or you’ve gotten good at hiding a gap in your smile. Maybe it’s a crown that broke years ago, and you’ve just learned to chew on the other side. So why haven’t you called?
If you’ve been putting off a dental visit, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common conversations we have with patients here at Hoard & Hoard in New Bern. Dr. Stephen Hoard has been practicing here since 1991, and he’s heard every version of “I should have come in sooner.” Not once has a patient told him they regretted picking up the phone.
The reasons people wait are almost always the same. Here’s what’s really going on, and why fixing a crown or replacing a missing tooth might be simpler than you think.
The Real Reasons People Wait
- Embarrassment is the big one. Patients worry that the dentist will judge them for letting a problem go. They haven’t been in for a cleaning in years, or a tooth has been chipped for so long that they’ve forgotten what it looked like before. The fear of being scolded by someone in a white coat keeps many people at home.
- Fear of the unknown. If you don’t know what a crown or implant actually involves, it’s easy to imagine something much worse than reality. A lot of patients assume a crown means multiple invasive visits. They think an implant means major surgery and weeks of downtime. Neither is as bad as people imagine.
- Cost anxiety. Dental work isn’t free, and a lot of patients put off treatment because they’re afraid of a bill they can’t handle. What they don’t always realize is that waiting usually costs more. A small problem becomes a big one. A crown becomes an extraction and an implant.
“I’ll do it when things calm down.” There’s never a perfect time, or always a busy season at work. A family event is always coming up. There’s always a reason to wait one more month. Then one month becomes one year, and one year becomes five.
What Actually Happens When You Finally Come In
We hear this a lot from patients: “I wish I had done this sooner.”
The first visit is a conversation, not a lecture. Dr. Stephen and Dr. Nicole Hoard focus on understanding your goals and concerns before recommending anything. They’ll look at your teeth, gums, and bite, and they’ll explain what they see in plain language. No one will judge you for how long it’s been. They’ll explain what they see in plain language.
Many patients are surprised by how straightforward the treatment is. Here’s what they usually learn:
- A dental crown in New Bern takes two visits. The first visit is prep and impressions. The second visit is placing the permanent crown. In between, you wear a temporary. That’s it. The crown protects the tooth, restores its shape, and blends in with your natural smile.
- A dental implant has a healing period, but the surgery is shorter than most people think. The implant itself is a small titanium post placed in the jawbone. The placement usually takes about an hour. Healing takes a few months, but you’re not in recovery the whole time. You return to your normal life, and your body fuses the implant to the bone.
- We can combine cosmetic treatments at our New Bern dental office. If you have a chipped tooth, a missing tooth, and a smile you’re not proud of, you don’t necessarily need three separate treatment plans. Dr. Stephen and Dr. Nicole look at the whole picture and design a plan that fits your goals and your budget.
Why Crowns and Implants Are Simpler Than You Expect
A lot of patients come into our New Bern dental practice expecting the worst. They’ve heard horror stories from friends, seen scary videos online, or just imagined the procedure on their own. The reality is usually much more comfortable than they expected.
Dr. Stephen has been a faculty member at The Dawson Academy since 2004, where he teaches other dentists about comprehensive restorative care. Dr. Nicole completed advanced training at Dawson and finished an AEGD residency in Hawaii, where she treated a wide range of patients with complex needs. Both of them approach every case with the same understanding of the whole system, plan carefully, and keep the patient comfortable throughout.
That philosophy matters when you’re getting a crown or dental implant in New Bern. It’s about how that tooth fits into your bite, your jaw, and your overall oral health. When those things are in balance, your results last longer and feel more natural.
For patients in New Bern and the surrounding communities, that’s a meaningful difference. It means your crown or implant isn’t just a quick fix. It’s a long-term solution designed around your mouth.
The Emotional Payoff
Patients who finally address a problem they’ve been hiding describe the same thing when it’s over. Relief!
They can smile in photos without covering their mouth. They can eat what they want without worrying about breaking a tooth. They can laugh without being self-conscious. That’s quality of life.
Dr. Nicole often tells patients that her job isn’t to make anyone feel bad about waiting. It’s to show them what’s possible now. She brings that perspective from watching her father treat patients for years before she ever picked up a dental instrument herself.
Why New Bern Patients Are Booking Now
Timing matters. A lot of patients in our area waited through the pandemic to come back to the dentist. It felt safer to put things off, and now those delays have caught up. Teeth that were just starting to bother them a few years ago are now causing real problems.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We’re seeing more patients than ever who are ready to address things they’ve been putting off. And honestly, it’s a great time to do it. Treatment options are better than ever. Materials last longer. Techniques are gentler. With two dentists in the practice, patients can often be seen sooner and get more personalized attention.
How to Take the First Step
If you’ve been avoiding the dentist, here’s what we’d tell you. Call us, schedule a visit, or come in and talk to us. You don’t have to commit to any treatment at your first visit or know what you need. You just have to show up.
Dr. Stephen and Dr. Nicole will look at your teeth, answer your questions, and give you a clear picture of your options. If there’s a crown or implant in your future, you’ll know what it involves, how long it takes, and what it costs before anything happens. If there’s a smaller fix that would work just as well, they’ll tell you that too.
The hardest part is the first phone call. After that, it gets a lot easier.
If you’re ready to stop hiding your smile, call Hoard & Hoard at (252) 507-0373. We’d love to meet you. You can also request an appointment online. No judgment, no pressure, just a plan for moving forward.
