About Stephen J. Wessels, DMD
Dr. Wessels is a general dentist serving patients in Wilkes County since 1987.
He received his D.M.D. (Doctor of Dental Medicine) degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 1987. His undergraduate studies were completed at the University of Georgia in 1983 with a B.S. degree in Pre-Dental studies/Chemistry.
He has been a long time member of the American Dental Association, The North Carolina Dental Society, The Blue Ridge Dental Society, Wilkes County Chamber of Commerce and is on The Board for the Wilkes Public Health Dental Clinic.
Dr. Wessels practices all aspects of general dentistry, and he truly has a passion to deliver excellent, state of the art dentistry in as gentle a manner as possible. He also has a commitment to providing the latest innovative technology to his patients. He absolutely loves giving his patients beautiful smiles.
Dr. Wessels is originally from Western Virginia, and after graduating dental school he had a desire to return to the Blue Ridge Foothills/Mountain area. He is happily married to his wife, Gail, and they enjoy their three children; Brandon, Mark, & Lauren. In his spare time Dr. Wessels enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, and many different outdoor activities.
Replacing a single tooth with a single tooth implant does not endanger the health of the neighboring teeth. Because a dental implant will replace your tooth root, the bone is better preserved. Dental implants integrate with your jawbone, helping to keep the bone healthy and intact. Several missing teeth can also be replaced with individual implants. This method will place a dental implant at the site of each missing tooth, providing ideal replicas of your lost teeth. Multiple teeth may also be restored with an implant bridge, which is a prosthetic comprised of three or more crown units, depending upon the number of missing teeth.
One of the most rewarding and exciting new procedures in dentistry today is the system for making your previously loose dentures tight and comfortable. Mini dental implants provide denture patients with the ability to eat, smile, and speak with confidence. In as little as 1 hour, 4-6 dental implants can be placed, and your dentures can be fitted over the implants. The patient leaves the office with a stable denture, which can be used IMMEDIATELY. In addition, placement of these implants results in little to no post-operative discomfort. Many patients who were not candidates for conventional implants because they didn’t have enough bone or because of finances are now mini dental implant candidates.
Made of Hybrid Resin or Zirconia, the removable bridge involves the placement of between 6-10 implants, determined by bone volume and bone quality. This is a fixed hybrid bridge that can be detached by the dentist as needed at recall cleaning visits.