Does this sound about right? root canal $

[herdtoDisney]

Due to my genetics and stupid love of chomping on Bottle Caps candy I have been recommended, by two dentists, to get a root canal for my broken tooth. A crown too. Or else, extraction. I'd like to keep my tooth.

I was referred to an endodontist and have a consult soon. I was told $125 for that and $1300 for the root canal. Dentist said $800 for the crown. I should note that I do not have dental insurance (nor access to any, which I why we don't have it). So I'm paying OOP.

Do these prices sound about right? Are there alternatives? Is is worth it for this tooth? Thanks, any help appreciated. I've given up the Bottle Caps habit...

 

[auralia]

I paid 1000$ total for root canal and 900 total for a crown about 6 years ago in maryland for a rear molar (they are more expensive than front teeth). While my insurance had ran out on other work this price was my insurance companies Negotiated price so was a few hundred off normal.

 

[Madison'smommy]

Due to my genetics and stupid love of chomping on Bottle Caps candy I have been recommended, by two dentists, to get a root canal for my broken tooth. A crown too. Or else, extraction. I'd like to keep my tooth.

I was referred to an endodontist and have a consult soon. I was told $125 for that and $1300 for the root canal. Dentist said $800 for the crown. I should note that I do not have dental insurance (nor access to any, which I why we don't have it). So I'm paying OOP.

Do these prices sound about right? Are there alternatives? Is is worth it for this tooth? Thanks, any help appreciated. I've given up the Bottle Caps habit...

The cost of the crown sounds correct... the RC seems high, but I am not really sure. I have had tons of work, and would do whatever I can to save a tooth. Where is the tooth? If you didnt save it, you would end up getting an implant, depending on where it is.

Is there a dental school anywhere near you? They could do it there, it would cost less.

 

[mrseace711]

Bottle Caps and Starbucks were my downfall the price sounds about right though Ive have 3 root canals =/

 

[Dizneydaz]

I just had a root canal and crown on a rear molar and it was just under $2,000. My dentist offered me no interest financing (no insurance) through Chase. I pay monthly, for 12 months. (If it had been over $2,000, I would have had 18 months to pay. I'm in So. Cal, if that matters.

BTW, I did have some issues with my root canal (a lot of pain after-I think the infection was really stubborn) and after paying $150 for an endodontist to check it out and finding nothing I had another round of antibiotics and my dentist also redid the temporary. It still hurt for awhile and in fact I took about 3 months before I had the final crown put on. After that the pain has mostly gone but every once in awhile it will bother me just a little. It's only been about a month since the crown went on.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Do you live near a college that has a dental program? If so call them they usually will do the work for a lower price.

 

[DOOM1001]

I agree about the dental school,maybe 1/3-1/2 the price they quoted you.

 

[momofrrr]

It sounds pretty reasonable to me. I am lucky enough to have dental insurance and that is close to what my last estimate was before my insurance kicked in. I have had several and not ever had any trouble as far as pain afterwards. Keep a stiff upper lip, they are not nearly as bad as they used to be.

 

[bumbershoot]

Back in '96 I bit down on a peanut and cracked a molar. I had no dental insurance (or any insurance!) and I was quoted $600 per. The crown was necessary, but the root canal was not. I opted for just the crown, as I simply did not have $1200.

I'm not sure he really fit the crown right...it was a rush job, and he wasn't my normal dentist, but it's been fine, basically, since then. My current dentist sees nothing wrong with it.

So if that's an option and you're willing, at some point in the future, to have to redo the crown and get a root canal (my guy couldn't explain the concept of a root canal to me, which was another reason I didn't do it, but the money was THE reason), if it doesn't work out as well as it did for me, you could think about it.

 

[dizzymomx4]

I just went through the same thing. I had cracked a tooth and went to the dentist thinking that it was going to be a crown. The tooth is a rear molar that I know I am keeping, extraction is not an option. The tooth had a large filling from when I was a kid and when the filling cracked, I put off going to the dentist. When I finally went in, I was told the tooth needed a root canal. I went to the endodontist and the total cost was $1150 (four canal molar) and the dentist $1250 (crown and post build up). I too did not have Dental insurance and they offered a 5% cash discount. Not much of a discount, but I gladly took it!
I worked in the dental field years ago, crowns were $357 and Root canals were $350...YIKES!! Price increase!!

 

[herdtoDisney]

So if that's an option and you're willing, at some point in the future, to have to redo the crown and get a root canal (my guy couldn't explain the concept of a root canal to me, which was another reason I didn't do it, but the money was THE reason), if it doesn't work out as well as it did for me, you could think about it.

I did want to do just the crown, I really hoped I could. My regular dentist said no and referred me to the endodontist. I got a second opinion from an older dentist who is known for saving teeth but even he recommended the root canal. It is a molar (tooth 20?) and I really want to keep it.

After reading here, the prices I got seem right. There is a dental school in central CT, the Uconn dental school. I looked up their website and will call today. I don't know how hard it is to get in or if there is a waitlist but I'll try to find out. Otherwise, I guess I will pay cash for the root canal and try to hold off the crown till Jan so I can put it in my flexible spending acct. Thanks all!

 

[Darcy03231]

I just had this done on a rear molar. Between the x-rays, root canal (and I had four canals instead of three), post and core (because the old filling was so big), and crown it was a bit over $3000.

 

[Swimalie]

I had a root canal about 3 years ago and it was $1100. The crown was around $800 so I would say your prices are comparable with my area. My dental insurance stinks and only does $1000 a year maximum, which I had maxed out already when this new work came up. So I had to pay out of pocket. Both the endodontist and dentist gave me a discount for paying cash when the work was done. It was 5% and 10% respectively. Maybe you can ask for a discount and pay that day?

 

[dawson5]

Just had a root canal and crown in March/April. I think the root canal was $900 and the crown around $850. Mine was the canine tooth. From what I understand, the farther back you go, the higher the price. I did not have a post or build-up. I'm sure that figured in the price being lower. They just (?)sanded down the tooth and made two impressions (before for the outside and after for the inside). Root canal was about an hour and the crown was closer to 90 minutes.

I did want to do just the crown, I really hoped I could. My regular dentist said no and referred me to the endodontist. I got a second opinion from an older dentist who is known for saving teeth but even he recommended the root canal. It is a molar (tooth 20?) and I really want to keep it.

I think if the root is dead, they want to clear out the material so it won't become infected (abscessed). My tooth was dead, I did not feel a thing, but it was also abscessed. I did not know until the abscess broke. (nasty)

 

[hineshm]

I paid $900 for my root canal and another $950 for my crown. And I was constantly in pain. My crown came off numerous times and the tooth finally had to be extracted 4 years later. So, after $2000 later I still lost the tooth. Just make sure that the dentist really believes the tooth is worth saving. I think that the root canal charge that you received is a little high, but the crown seems to be on target. good luck!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

That sounds about right. I can't remember what I paid OOP, but I do have dental insurance, but I still had to pay a good portion of at least the root canal part.

This is not something I would go to a dental school for, you need an experienced dentist and endodontist. This is not like a simple cleaning or filling.

I had an expert endodontist and still had some problems with numbness in my face for awhile afterwards, seems they just hit one of the nerves too close, but I was worried. I wouldn't trust anyone except my own dentist.

See if you qualify for Care Credit, it is a CC, but when you have larger procedures, you should be approved for their no interest rates for probably 24 months. We have it and can use it at our dentist and our vet.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I don't know about the root canal, but the crown sounds right on the money. DH had one this summer and it was $850.

 

[ssawka]

Those quotes seem to be in the right ballpark. You might be able to shop around and save a few hundred, but do you have the time to do that? Also, be glad it is only a root canal and crown. I currently in the process of having an implant put in beacuse one of my crowns broke off and the tooth is too far gone to recrown. The implant is running around $4000. Fortunately I do have insurance. I blame my English and Russian ancestors for my bad teeth! Well, that and growing up in the country and drinking well water (no flouride).

 

[thomas998]

On thing is to check and see if they can put a cap on the tooth without doing a root canal. I've broken two molars, one on a rock in some refried beans and one from a pizza (who knows) and in neither case did they have to a root canal in order to set me up with a crown. The price you have for a crown sounds about right....

One caveat, if they do the root canal make sure they remember that when they remove the temporary crown to put on the permanent crown, they didn't remember the on the last one I had and believe me, you don't want them doing that switch without being numbed up.

I think the real determining factor is how deep down the tooth broke off.. for me the broken off part wasn't down below the gum line... don't hesitate to get a second opinion either my wife had one dentist tell her she needed a root canal for a cavity and then she went to mine that gave her a filling without the root canal and she hasn't had any problems. Some dentists are just in it for the money so beware.

 

[ceecee]

I work for a dentist. The fees in Ohio aren't quite that high but close. It all depends on where you live. Check into getting dental insurance, but watch because a lot of them have waiting periods. I second a dental school as well.