How Much Does a Root Canal Cost?

If you have had an unexpected medical or dental treatment, you know that the lack of planning and the urgent nature can cause unplanned bills and expenses. Emergency visits to the dentist can be costly, but they can also be prevented or addressed before they become bigger problems. Regular checkups and cleanings at the dentist office twice a year can help the dentist notice changes in your teeth or clean below the gum line preventing bacteria from settling or finding a home even closer to the root of your tooth.

But even if you maintain good oral habits at home and see the dentist twice a year, you may find that after you have a sore tooth. Once you and your dentist decide that a maple grove root canal treatment is the best way to treat the problem, there is no need to suffer from the bill as well as the pain from infection. There are a number of factors that will determine the price you will pay for your dental treatment.

Location, Location, Location

There is not a simple pricing sheet to determine what your dentist charges for a root canal. But why not? The American Association of Endodontists addresses the location of the tooth that needs to be repaired as one of the most important cost factors. If the infection is located in the front of your mouth, the treatment will cost less. Front teeth have one root giving the dentist a small area to treat versus the molars with up to three separate roots.

The area of the country where you call home also helps determine how much you will pay for treatment. As you move closer to the east and west coasts, the price increases for all treatments not just root canal therapy.

Sooner Rather Than Later

The amount of work the dentist is including in your treatment plan affects the cost. If the dentist needs to address a severe cavity or an invasive infection, the work the dentist needs to do to save the affected tooth or teeth. If you find yourself at a follow up appointment after you experience some sensitivity between regular cleanings, the dentist will not find infection as extensive as if you ignored the pain until it worsened or if you avoided regular checkups all together. When it is easier for the dentist to access the cavity, the repair to the tooth is easier and less time consuming. When the filling becomes a crown, dollars become more dollars on your final bill. If your tooth requires extraction, this becomes the most costly option as it involves the removal procedure and then the repair with an implant or bridge.

Retreatment for Past Root Canals

Finally, if the dentist has already treated the tooth for a cavity or completed a root canal, the price will be higher than if this was the first treatment on the tooth. The dentist will need to drill to address the infection, but more than one drilling on a tooth usually leads to a crown rather than another filling.

The total cost for each procedure will vary; the price will be determined by the length of the procedure, the materials used, the number of office visits, and the amount of work the dentist does. Dental insurance will help cover the cost of many procedures including the costs for preventative care as well as elective procedures as they often result in improved dental health. If you are questioning your payment options for your treatment plan, you are more than welcome to talk to our staff at any time. We want your budget is stay as healthy as your mouth.

More About Root Canals : Root Canals and Pain Expectation