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Having to get a root canal is painful enough — but then comes the prospect of paying for it.
While the specific cost of a root canal will vary depending on your geographical location, your dentist, the location of your tooth, and other factors, it can easily cost as much as $2,000 or more if you don’t have insurance, and a few hundred dollars even if you do have coverage.
Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to finance dental work, making it possible for you to afford the care your teeth require. Here’s what you need to know.
Key Points
• Root canal treatment is important for removing infection from your tooth and keeping your body healthy.
• The price of treatment can be reduced with insurance, but it is likely to cost at least $620 without it.
• Many factors can influence the cost of a root canal, including the tooth location and the type of dentist performing the procedure.
• Dental insurance, a health savings account, a credit card, or a personal loan can be used to pay for this treatment.
• A personal loan can also cover a variety of other dental procedures.
What Is a Root Canal Treatment?
A root canal is a dental treatment that can remove infection and bacteria from the pulp beneath the hard exterior of a tooth. It’s a pretty common procedure, as millions of them are performed each year.
While root canals are often labelled as unpleasant, modern dentistry means this medical intervention can take place relatively painlessly while preserving your natural tooth, both for chewing and complementing your smile. If you’re in need of a root canal, you’re not alone.
Reasons for a Root Canal
There are many different reasons your dentist might prescribe a root canal, including:
• Deep tooth decay
• Large cavities affecting the nerve
• Chips or cracks in tooth enamel
• Dental trauma that damages the pulp
In any of these situations, bacteria may infect the pulp of the tooth and, if left untreated, spread to the surrounding structures, such as gums, other teeth, or even the jawbone. In extreme cases, severe dental infections can spread to the bloodstream and become life-threatening.
Taking good care of your teeth can help prevent these outcomes, but sometimes, accidents or predisposition to decay are added to the equation. In any case, if your dentist prescribes a root canal, it’s probably worth heeding their advice.
How Much Does a Root Canal Cost on Average?
While the cost of a root canal procedure varies depending on several factors, which we’ll dive into in more depth below, the cost can range from $620 to over $2,000 without insurance. With insurance, your bill could be considerably lower depending on your coverage and the extent of the procedure.
Recommended: Guide to Dental Loans
How Much Is a Root Canal With a Crown?
In many cases, you may also require a crown along with a root canal, which can help protect the tooth for future chewing and use. A crown can add a substantial amount to the overall bill: as much as $2,000 if you’re paying out of pocket.
Factors That Impact the Cost of a Root Canal
Here are some factors that can affect the cost of your root canal treatment.
Insurance Coverage
Obviously, the cost of any dental or medical procedure is likely to be higher if you don’t have insurance coverage or if your provider is outside of your insurance company’s network. Because root canals are usually medically necessary, as opposed to just cosmetic, it’s likely that your insurer will cover at least a percentage of the procedure.
Tooth Location
The location of the infected tooth in your mouth can also have an impact on the total cost of the root canal. That’s because certain teeth are more difficult for dentists to work on than others.
For instance, molars, which are set more deeply in the mouth, are harder to reach and thus command higher costs for dental procedures. Bicuspids, or premolars, and front teeth needing root canals are likely to cost the least.
Geographical Location
Like most other goods and services, the cost of a root canal can vary significantly depending on the local economy or the prices set by the dental professional you choose.
Type of Dentist
While most general dentists can perform a simple root canal, some teeth with more complicated infections might require an endodontist, who specializes in dental pulp (the part that’s treated during the procedure).
Specialist root canal treatment may be more expensive than treatment from your general dental professional, partly due to the use of high-tech equipment such as an ultrasonic needle or water laser.
Root Canal Complications
Although they’re very common and generally safe, like most other medical procedures, root canals still come with some risk.
For example, the root canal can fail due to a breakdown of materials or the provider’s failure to remove all of the bacteria during the procedure. In addition, sometimes the tooth becomes slightly discolored after the procedure due to bleeding on the inside of the tooth.
Ways to Pay For a Root Canal
Although root canals can be expensive, there are many ways to pay for this vitally important procedure without chewing through your savings.
Dental Insurance
Carrying dental insurance is a great way to lower the cost of procedures such as a root canal — but keep in mind you’ll be responsible for monthly premiums as well as potential copay or coinsurance costs.
Health Savings Account
A health savings account is a tax-incentivized account that can help you save and pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses. However, you must have a high deductible health plan to contribute to one.
Personal Loan
Personal loans are a type of financial product that allows you to borrow money for almost any purpose, including dental or medical care. Because they’re unsecured, meaning no collateral is required, they tend to have higher interest rates than auto loans or mortgages — but the rates can be lower than those offered by credit cards.
As with most financial products, your specific rates and terms will vary depending on your credit score and other financial aspects. While rates may be higher, there are still personal loans for low-credit borrowers — and taking one out may still make more financial sense than decimating your emergency fund or putting the procedure on credit.
Credit Card
Although they usually have fairly high interest rates, credit cards are another option for paying for necessary medical interventions in a pinch. If you can qualify for a credit card with a 0% promotional interest rate, you’ll have some time to pay the balance without interest if you can pay it off before the promotional period ends.
Recommended: Can Medical Bills Affect Your Credit Report?
Other Dental Procedures a Personal Loan Can Cover
Along with root canals, personal loans can be used to cover other common dental procedures, including:
• Periodontal surgery
• Dentures
• Tooth bonding
• Wisdom tooth removal
• Dental fillings
The Takeaway
Having a root canal can be an important medical intervention to preserve your health and your affected tooth. Although the procedure is expensive, there are ways to pay for it that won’t add financial stress to your dental pain.
Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. See your rate in minutes.
FAQ
How much is a root canal and a crown?
A root canal procedure can range from around $600 to $2,000, and a restorative crown can add another $2,000 to the total cost. Costs vary depending on which part of the country the procedure is performed in and which tooth is being treated.
Why is a root canal so expensive?
Root canals are performed by licensed medical professionals who use specialized equipment. More complex situations may need to be treated by an endodontist, a dental specialist who has completed additional years of training beyond dental school.
What does a root canal cost without insurance?
Depending on a variety of factors, the full, out-of-pocket cost of a root canal without insurance may range from $620 to over $2,000.
Photo credit: iStock/AndreyPopov
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