East Cooper Smiles

Mount Pleasant, SC Dentist

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(843) 884-7200

1401 Stuart Engals Blvd. | Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

1401 Stuart Engals Blvd.
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

East Cooper Smiles > Services > Root Canals and Restoration

With a gentle Mt. Pleasant dentist on your side and a compassionate team, your root canal will be a breeze!

man during root canal therapy in mount pleasant

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Root Canals and Restoration in Mount Pleasant, SC

Root canals and restoration in Mount Pleasant, SC

We offer easy and gentle root canals in Mt. Pleasant, SC for patients of all ages.

If you have severe pain or swelling around your tooth or jaw, you may have an infection that needs prompt treatment. In many cases, we can successfully treat deep infections in your teeth using root canal therapy. Many dentists refer patients to specialists for root canal therapy, but at East Cooper Smiles, our dentist in Mt. Pleasant, SC has the skills and expertise to treat most root canal cases right here in our office. Dr. Jason Annan can save your tooth and alleviate your pain and discomfort through the use of root canal therapy and restoration.

To learn more about gentle root canal treatment and dental restorations in Mount Pleasant, we invite you to call us or continue reading.

root canals in mount pleasant sc

What Causes the Need for a Root Canal in Mt. Pleasant, SC?
Why Should Infected or Inflamed Pulp Be Removed?
Root Canal Therapy Is an Affordable, Smile-Saving Option
How Does a Root Canal Procedure Work?
Restorative Care for Your Root Canal
Call Us to Schedule an Evaluation for a Root Canal in Mt. Pleasant

What Causes the Need for a Root Canal in Mt. Pleasant, SC?

Deep inside your tooth, beneath the enamel and dentin layers, is an area called the pulp. Pulp is soft tissue that holds blood vessels and nerves. The dentin layers and enamel protect the pulp from damage, but when these layers wear away or are broken, the pulp becomes more vulnerable to painful inflammation or a potentially dangerous infection. When the pulp becomes infected due to deep decay, trauma, or for some other reason, your dentist may need to perform a root canal to clear out the infection and bacteria.

You may wonder why it is so important to save your tooth. Did you know that tooth loss can cause bone loss? When you lose a tooth, the root is no longer present to stimulate healthy bone retention, so it may begin to resorb. When that happens, your surrounding teeth could shift, causing gum disease, problems with your bite, and a crooked smile.

Why Should Infected or Inflamed Pulp Be Removed?

If not quickly and efficiently treated by your Mt. Pleasant dentist, harmful bacteria can spread and cause a serious infection that can put your oral and physical health at risk. Bacteria can even reach your tooth’s root and cause intense pain and swelling, gum disease, and more decay. When infected or damaged tooth pulp is not removed, the bacteria can also spread to the jaw bone, and your tooth may need to be removed to restore and protect your oral health. Also, if you wait too long to get root canal treatment, your tooth may not be salvageable, and you may need more than one tooth removed.

When the damaged pulp is removed, it allows your dentist to clean out the diseased nerves and blood vessels, clean the tooth, and seal it, so it doesn’t get damaged any further. People often believe that root canal treatment is painful, but it is actually quite painless. Before the procedure, your dentist numbs the area, so you do not experience any pain or discomfort. Thanks to technological advances in dentistry, root canals are now similar to getting a dental filling and can be performed in only one dental visit.

Root Canal Therapy Is an Affordable, Smile-Saving Option

Root canals make it possible to keep your tooth instead of having it removed and in need of replacement. Tooth removal is only considered when the tooth is beyond repair; otherwise, root canal therapy is the ideal option for fixing your tooth. Removing a tooth may eliminate the damaged pulp, but it also opens the door to multiple risks and potential issues. If the removed tooth is not replaced, the surrounding teeth can shift and move into the empty spaces. This can disrupt your bite, making it more difficult to chew and speak, not to mention it can make you more susceptible to developing gum disease. Dr. Annan’s root canal treatment can save your natural tooth and consequently save you money and time by eliminating the need for a costly replacement tooth.

How Does a Root Canal Procedure Work?

If you received a diagnosis that requires a root canal, you might feel a bit apprehensive because you have heard about the pain and discomfort associated with root canals. The truth is that a root canal procedure will likely relieve your pain once the infection clears.

man at the dentist in mount pleasant sc The unknown can feel scary, but don’t worry; Dr. Annan, our skilled dentist in Mt. Pleasant, is extremely gentle and treats our patients with the utmost care and respect. He will make sure you are completely numb for your root canal procedure, and he will help you with pain management, so you have a positive and relaxing experience.

To complete your root canal, we will make a small access in your tooth, so we can thoroughly clean out the pulp and nerve. Then, Dr. Annan will place medication inside the canal to heal the tooth from the inside out.

Once the tooth is completely clean and rid of lingering bacteria, Dr. Annan will carefully seal your tooth. You might feel sensitive for a few days after treatment, but you should feel gradually better until your symptoms disappear entirely.

Using state-of-the-art technology, we can ensure your root canal procedure will be comfortable, safe, and quick. Root canal treatment typically only takes one hour, depending on your unique case, and you can enjoy a healthier smile in just one dental visit!

What Are the Benefits of Getting a Root Canal?

If you are suffering from a painful, sensitive, or infected tooth, root canal treatment may be your best option. There are numerous advantages of getting a root canal to save your tooth:

It stops the risk of infection spreading to your remaining teeth.
The treated tooth is sealed with a durable and natural-looking crown, giving you a new and improved appearance.
It helps save your tooth, so you don’t have to worry about having a smile with missing teeth.
It prevents your jawbone from deteriorating.
It enhances your overall health.

Severe, untreated tooth decay can wreak havoc on your health, and it can even increase your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, and even dementia. At East Cooper Smiles, we strive to boost your overall health by focusing on your teeth and gums; that’s why it’s so important that you visit us regularly so we can monitor your oral health.

Restorative Care for Your Root Canal

Our goal is to restore your smile’s appearance and functionality. Our restorative dental services may include fillings, crowns, dental bridges, and even dentures. Root canal therapy is actually also considered a restorative service because it strives to preserve your natural tooth.

Root canals can cause your teeth to become brittle and more susceptible to damage from day-to-day use. In some cases, we can stabilize your tooth with a filling. In other cases, especially for molars that withstand so much force from chewing, we may need to place a dental crown over your tooth to protect it. With the proper restoration and regular dental care, a root canal can extend the life of your tooth by decades.

Call Us to Schedule an Evaluation for a Root Canal in Mt. Pleasant

If you are experiencing dental pain or believe you need a root canal, don’t delay receiving treatment. Dr. Annan has years of experience saving patients’ smiles and helping them achieve what we call optimal oral health. We are confident that we can make your teeth strong, healthy, and beautiful. The sooner you call, the better our chances are of saving your tooth. Our entire team at our Mount Pleasant dental office looks forward to working with you toward a healthy future.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will my root canal be painful?

Many people mistakenly associate root canal therapy with pain. In reality, however, root canal treatment is a routine dental procedure that should not be painful or traumatic.

When patients need a root canal procedure, it’s because their natural tooth is living with severe infection or internal damage. Dentists do not perform root canals on healthy teeth; instead, the procedure is typically a last-resort effort to save a compromised and ailing tooth.

Unfortunately, teeth that get to this point are painful and sensitive. Internal tooth infections are a serious problem, and if you need root canal therapy, you’ll experience extreme discomfort and disruption to your daily routine. Infected teeth can make it impossible to eat, think, and even sleep.

Despite their universal reputation for being painful, root canal treatments performed by dentists are actually what will relieve your pain and suffering! When you undergo a Mount Pleasant, SC root canal, you will feel amazed at the difference in your level of pain immediately following treatment.

Because root canal therapy removes infected dental tissue and cleans out the inside of a tooth, a patient immediately post-treatment should feel significantly better than when they stepped into the dental office for the procedure. The relief from pain will occur instantly!

Does a root canal last forever?

When you receive root canal treatment, your Mount Pleasant dentist removes infection from the inside of your tooth and cleans up the tooth’s “canals,” leaving you with a clean, bacteria-free area.

Then, your dentist seals off access to the tooth’s canals and usually places an artificial tooth crown on top to protect the tooth’s interior and to help it stay strong. Once completed, root canal treatment should last forever. As long as you care for your tooth and brush, floss, and clean around the area, it shouldn’t get reinfected.

Because teeth that need root canal therapy are usually already very sick or weakened, these teeth become more prone to cracks, fractures, or damage in the future. If you undergo root canal therapy and don’t do anything to protect your tooth after, you leave your smile vulnerable.

The best way to ensure your root canal treatment lasts and your tooth stays healthy and viable is by getting a hardy, beautiful dental restoration to complete the procedure. If you have questions about our crowns for teeth and other restorations in Mount Pleasant, don’t hesitate to give our dental office a call. We’ll happily explain more about our root canal procedures and how you can protect your teeth once you finish your treatment.

Why do I need a dental restoration?

Before the era of modern dental medicine, anyone who cracked or damaged a tooth simply had to live with the pain, discomfort, inconvenience, and danger of their tooth injury.

Thankfully, today’s technology enables dentists to repair broken teeth and restore life and vibrance to compromised smiles. But if you’ve never received a dental restoration before, you might wonder what the benefits are or why you should consider getting one at all.

“Dental restorations” is a term that encompasses multiple types of artificial tooth repairs, including:

If you have a damaged, knocked-out, or broken tooth, you can benefit from one or more of these dental restorations. Because your teeth do not regrow and cannot repair themselves, you need to preserve your smile as much as you can throughout your life.

Even when accidents happen and you damage your natural tooth, the good news is that your Mount Pleasant dentist can usually repair it with a restoration.

You may need a dental restoration for any number of reasons, including:

To keep your other natural teeth from shifting and falling out of alignment
To relieve pain and discomfort following a tooth injury
To fill a cavity and prevent bone loss in your mouth
To replace missing teeth for both cosmetic and health-related reasons
To protect a compromised tooth after a car accident, sports injury, or root canal

Tooth restorations in Mount Pleasant, SC can help your life return to normal after a dental emergency, accident, or routine oral health concern. If you need a dental crown or other restoration, give our dentist a call!

Meet Our Doctor:

Dr. Annan East Cooper Smiles Mt Pleasant SC

Jason Annan DDS

Dr. Jason Annan grew up in Mount Pleasant and attended Wando High School. He received his degree in Civil Engineering from Duke University and a Masters degree in Environmental Engineering from Clemson University.

After working for four years in engineering, Dr. Annan went to the University of North Carolina for dental school. After dental school he completed an optional year of advanced, hospital dental training at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C. He practiced for four years in Charlotte, N.C., before returning home to Mount Pleasant.

Dr. Annan, his parents, and his ...

Featured Blog Posts - Root Canals and Restoration

January 8, 2024

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A white-toothed woman in a dental chair smiling in Mount Pleasant

Thanks to generations of television and big-screen comedies, the mere mention of the term “root canal” is enough to send most people into some degree of anxiety, if not out-and-out panic. In reality, while it may be good for some easy laughs, the notion that root canal therapy is painful ...

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