Root Canal Cost - Buyer Experiences and Price Information

I had an infection in my lower rear tooth (#30) about 3 months ago. My denist advised that I needed a root canal and set an appointment for this to get done. I had the root canal and paid about $500 (after insurance) for everything (root canal and crown. About three weeks ago the same tooth was hurting, so I went back to the dentist only to find out the same tooth was infected again. My dentist is telling me that now i need to see a specialist. After researching this issue, I have found the most root canal infections are due to the original root canal not being done correctly. So my questions is should i be responsible for paying for this treatment a second time when it wasn't done right the first time????

I had root canal done on back molar last year. I was charged around $1000.00 with dental insurance. This time, I was charged about $1200.00 for the front tooth. (I used the dental discount plan)

The total costs for the root canals were $380 per root canal, $80 for the posts and fillings, and another $380 for each crown, thats almost $800.00 a tooth. The total costs for all 6 root canals and crowns is nearly $15,000.00. My insurance pays nearly $9,000.00, I have to pay the remainder which is almost $5,000.00, but I only had to put $972 down, and then I have to make monthly payments of $200.00 per month.

Top this one...Please! - No insurance for the root canal. Then following the root canal, I paid $275. for exploratory surgery to reveal a cracked root. Soooo, now the tooth must be extracted. - Oh, did I mention the fact that AFTER the root canal and BEFORE the exploratory, I paid another $888.30 for the partial crown...the crown made for a tooth that will be extracted. Yippie!!! What a bargain shopper I am! - Can't wait to see what kind of a deal I'm going to get on the bridge). - Please...somebody shoot me. (Oh, aim barrel at tooth #30...you'll save me money on the extraction.)

I was told I needed a root canal and a crown to save my left top molar. I waited until I had toothache and headache for 3 days until I couldn't stand the pain anymore and went in for the root canal. I have no insurance so I paid out of pocket. Cost $500, I paid $400 cash :). Procedure was painless with no discomfort after it was done. A crown would have cost me $650. Total $1000 cash for root canal and crown. It's a deal!
It's still expensive, but now that I've read all the above comments... I don't feel as though I'm being ripped off.

Go to India, get it done for $100-200...spend good time at the Goa beach resort...TOTAL EXPENSE $1500
;-)

I got my root canal and crown, done in India. It was Rs. 6000/- for both ($130.00). For what it would cost in the USA, you could go on a vacation to India and get yourself a root canal and a crown, for the money you'd spend.

Root canal for two teeth was $3,100. Seriously?! Our medical coverage does not include dental and apparently the dentist was all to happy to take full advantage of us.

I needed a root canal and all the above to save my tooth, but I never saved the money, so finally when the pain was too much, I pulled it out, now number 18 needs root canal, crown and all that, it will cost me about $1400, and again, have NO money, no insurance, so am going to pull it out,

Started having occasional sensitivity(used to be a grinder and apparently started again). Recommended fillings for now, but eventually needing four crowns. Also bought a $574 mouth guard to prevent further wear. Did filling and was in worse pain than before. Apparently drilling made hairline crack bigger. Now need $875 root canal and $970 crown. Only $330 left for insurance after previous visit, so $1500 out of my pocket, on top of the $700 out of pocket spent for the fillings/guard.

I have had several already,and this one is by far the most expensive. As a dental assistant, I will tell you often you are being overcharged, but not always. The materials used are (some)not too expensive, unless the doc finds more than he bargained for. However, unless the doc is with a big corporation, not only is he paying for his loans, which can be 200,000 or more, to start a dental office is unimaginable. The "drill" for example, just the handpiece itself, can be $200-500 for ONE. That is not counting the bur, the part that drills your tooth. Multiply that by at least 20, that is just that part. Think of all the things that are used, the dental chair, several thousand, a hand-held x-ray machine, 10,000. And so on. A tiny 1 oz. bottle of etchant is 200.00 On top of paying for those I mentioned, there is the front office supplies as well,utilities, and oh yeah, the staff. But yes, some procedures are definitely over-priced. Shop around, and if you can offer cash, sometimes you can get a bit of a discount.

I had a toothache underneath a bridge I have on the upper right side of my mouth. I went in and they took a x-ray. Found out I needed a root canal. I normally have dental insurance that covers 80% but I was maxed out for the year so all of this is Out of pocket. They first had to remove the bridge (which is quit painful) then they did the root canal. I go back next week and they will do the core build up and put my bridge back on permanently. Reading other posts on here, I think this price was fair. I got the removal of my bridge, the root canal, the core build up and my bridge put back on for $1050.00. Not bad.....but would have been better if it was covered by insurance :)

I started with a toothache on 3/29 and decided to solve the problem the next with extraction. I called a recommended office in greensboro and the receptionist stated they could see me at 1pm and treat me as a work-in patient. I sat in the waiting area for 2 hours and 30 minutes. They x-rayed me, I talk to the dentist for 3 minutes and he stated I needed a referral. He wrote me a refferal slip for 2 root canals and 2 extractions. I was at the office for a total of 2 hours and forty five minutes to get a referral and prescription for Vicodin. Not even to mention I left work early to get the problem solved. April 1 I will be seen by another local fair priced Dentist in my area. Thank you Toy for the referral.

The injections (5 in 3 visits) left my jaw bruised and I was in discomfort for a few weeks. And for several weeks after the RC was finished, I still had throbbing (whenever I bent over or exerted myself), sensitivity (to pressure from chewing) and soreness (like a bruise) in the jaw below the tooth. He told me this was outside of his area of expertise and referred me to an oral surgeon. IMO, given the fees they charge, endodontists should be capable of dealing with post-RCT problems.

We need to really change the Dental Insurance industry same as the change in Health Care. Basic Dental to all.

The costs are just day light robbery

Painless, but prevention is better. Just look at the bill. I have no dental insurance.

Had anchor tooth abscess under bridge. Saw my own dentist and he recommended that I go to endodontist. He saw me immediately along with a number of other emergency patients interspersed with scheduled patients. Unfortunately I am no longer covered by my dental insurance since I am turning 65 this month and just became eligible for Medicare Advantage insurance, which only covers $500 preventative per year. Ins co is paying $166 and I am paying 1654.00 out of pocket.

root canal and crown build up today than i have to spend another 818.00 for the crown now in these times with no insurance and this is a discounted rate i think this is way too expensive for the little time it took to do this most of the time was waiting for the mouth to go numb.

1st visit, root canal and crown cost quoted by dentist is $700. After reading this forum, I felt better. I was not in shock!!!

I just moved and haven't established a new dentist yet. But I broke a tooth and had to have a temporary crown done, and they said my tooth and nerve were healthy. Then a few days later, I suddenly had a large tooth ache so I went back in and they said the air that got into my tooth while they were working on the temporary crown caused a cavity to spread down to the root. So, now needed a full root canal. So not fun, and super expensive. They were very friendly, but didn't explain anything to me along the way or break down the cost. They just told me I had to pay up front for everything. My suggestion, if you don't have a dentist you trust don't have the work done right away. Take some Advil and ask coworkers and friends for recommendations.

This is just a over the phone quote for a root canal on my 11 year old. This doesn't include the crown yet. My insurance should pay 80% of this amount. They also have a consultation fee of 108.00. The consult fee is due upfront. $350.00 is due the day of the root canal. They will file the rest with my insurance company.

Root Canal $1250 charge - covered 775.50 by Ins
Crown $1250 charge - covered 50% by Ins
Post $ 385 charge - Covered 50% by Ins

Total 2885 charge

The root canal was 1250.00 and the crown was 1250.00! Insurance covered all but 800.00. The bad part of this was I got a quote 3 months earlier for the same tooth but on the Left side.. and it was only going to run 1100.00 for the crown and 950 for the root canal. Then when I went in to get the work done on the right side he charged me more!

Have no insurance. Massive pain and doc got me in with no appointment. Had to drill through crown and did with success. Have had a ton of dental work done and this guy is a class act, little pain and very considerate. Really can't afford it but you get what you pay for.

Haven't went to get my root canal fixed yet, but I seen some outragous prices for root canals posted so far! Mine is quoted for $550 for the root canal only and a emergency charge of $70 for a next day procedure! I will not be getting the rest of the work done at the Endodontics, my dentist is going to do the finishing work weither its a crown or whatever! I think im getting an alright deal! Well see!

Went to an Endodontist for the root canal, and the crown is to be completed by my dentist. The root canal itself costs $975. The crown costs $1295 and the post is $328, done by my dentist.

Well this is my story I had done a filling tooth work because was decayed #13 in October 2009 cost me $134 out of pocket, apparently the filling was to close to the nerve consequently I started experience pain in the tooth severe pain to the point I was going crazy not even Hydrocodone was eble to relief the pain.
The dentist checked my tooth and did some work a few times thinking I might had put to much pressure every time I bite but unfortunately did not work at the end he refer me to a Endodontist.
Well the pain was so bad that I did not ask how much this was going to cost to my surprise after all was done the total amount was $990 and I had to pay $290 out of my pocket I know they do work for a living if I knew better I should had gone to study to be a endodontist the work took about 30 to 35 min that is about $28 to $29 dollars a minute I don't even get paid that for an hour of work I think prices are to high I don't know what hurts more now the tooth pain or the bill every time I go to the doctor is always hundreds of dollars to be paid.

Of the costs that Commonsense states, people do complain alot about costs for everything! Yes, we're shocked to find that it costs $559 to fly to Orlando when it normally only costs $239, or $339. So, yes, we complain about costs because of how most people are with paying out of pocket. (You should check out the forums for auto repairs and travel). Regarding what the root canals pay for: any reputable dental supplies store online sells all those items at very cheap prices. You get a dozen of rubber dams for $10. The tools, titanium drills and files are very cheap (tools were bought at time of office practice began), and they're cleaned and autoclaved. The chemicals for mixtures & sealants are cheap. The only thing that's very expensive; is making the crown; since most practices send off the mold impressions to get it made by a third party. We're paying for the time, and training, of our dental professionals. But, this site is great...since it gives us all an overview of how much people are paying for dental services (even though we dont know the full details; generalist or specialist; single dentist or group of dentists; location and competition; insurance or none). HAHA, I like how "hold off until it hurts and then have it yanked" is considered a loss leader for dental office. My dentist wont "yank it" or "rootcanal" those back teeth; they believe in the specialists (oralsurg or endodont) has the more skilled and trained to give proper treatment or extraction.

One more point; on insurance coverage- ask what the office means by the word 'covered'. You may think it means no money out of pocket, while the dental office thinks it means that the proceedure is legit and eligible in your insurance company's view, such that they will pay for a PORTION of the costs, leaving the balance as your responsibility . Read your insurance contract. Maybe 80% of root canal UCR fee is covered, and you'll owe 20% + the inflation cost to UCR. (think of UCR fee as the 1970's price, insurance pays an established % of that amount , you pay the remainder + cost of living inflation fee since the 1970's) . Lots of posters say they have no insurance, then imply that dentist should give you a discount. They may, the day that they get a discount on their rent, supplies, overhead, taxes, etc. For treating the uninsured-- they'll pass that discount on to you! If dentist doesn't tell you fee, ask them. If you order dinner out, the waiter doesn't usually say "now, the steak will cost you $30, and the drink isn't included, it costs $1.25, and ..." but if you ask, they tell you. If you don't ask, they give you what you ask for & give you the bill, expecting full payment. How is this different? I think 1st people are in pain, and they don't like that. Then 2nd, they have to pay (immediately) for something they undervalue. That's why all the dentist hate. As for speed, there's a joke: Patient: you charged me $$$ for root canal (or extraction) and it only took you 10 minutes! Dentist : I'll do it slower next time, if you like!