How much for a root canal in your area?

[TARDIS]

Well, the cost is just too much all at once. They aren't able to do bill payments, so out my teeth come tomorrow. I just hope they are semi-healed for WDW.

 

[leebee]

Good luck with the tooth extractions. I went through a similar scenario as you, about 20 years ago, also in the Boston area, and without dental insurance. Despite the dentists's dire warnings (you can 't have the teeth extracted, there won't be anything for the opposing jaw's tooth to align with, your teeth will all shift around, etc.), I had the two extractions done (one molar on either side of my maxilla). It's worked out fine! No big gaps in the front, still able to eat everything successfully, etc. There's no way I'd let myself be held hostage to over-inflated dental costs and insufficient insurance.

 

[Judique]

Well, the cost is just too much all at once. They aren't able to do bill payments, so out my teeth come tomorrow. I just hope they are semi-healed for WDW.

Aww....I feel bad for you! The root canal is bad enough without the huge expense. Did the dentist suggest any kind of temporary fix, instead of a crown after doing the RC? I know I wore a temp filling for several weeks before having my crown put on.

I was just told my daughter has to have 2 molars out because of pain and crowding. The teeth are in good health but I guess we will be doing this shortly. I am extremely lucky, extractions, root canals and crown were covered completely for me after my $100 family deductible.

 

[Darcy03231]

I'm in southern NH, just north of Boston. Root canal on back molar was $1600 and the crown was another $1350. I needed a post & core, but no build-up. DH needed a root canal, crown, post & core and build-up and his total was abot $4,000. His bottom teeth are crowded so he opted to have the tooth pulled ($250).

 

[Goofy22]

I don't remember the overall price but my daughter almost needed one but the tooth was too bad they had to pull it instead ! Well my portion/ Co-pay after my insurance wouldve been $400 . We are in South Jersey .

 

[TARDIS]

I appreciate everyone's input and stories of their experience. I just don't understand why dental care doesn't get treated like the rest of the body. My health insurance is completely manageable. I joked with my husband that it cost my less to give birth to a child, than to get my teeth fixed. I guess I find it strange that dental insurance doesn't get wrapped up into health insurance. Well, strike that, I do have dental insurance with my health, but it only covers emergencies and wisdom teeth. In every other case I've seen its a seperate dental plan (a la Delta Dental). And the max always seems so low compared to the cost of care. Ah well. I'll be living off of soup, ice cream and pain meds for the next few days. That's kind of a plus.

 

[herdtoDisney]

Well, the cost is just too much all at once. They aren't able to do bill payments, so out my teeth come tomorrow. I just hope they are semi-healed for WDW.

Please, before you do this-shop around! I just had a root canal done a couple months ago, for $1300, with the specalist (endodontist). I don't have any dental insurance. I had cash, but they offered Care Credit and I think it was like a year interest free. I am opting to save for the crown-so far it is fine.

I think the price quoted you is absurd and the fact that they don't offer payments (I have no dental insurance and everywhere offers me Care Credit if I chose to make payments) is crazy too. I'm glad I saved my tooth and I strongly advise you to look elsewhere! Good Luck!

 

[TARDIS]

Please, before you do this-shop around! I just had a root canal done a couple months ago, for $1300, with the specalist (endodontist). I don't have any dental insurance. I had cash, but they offered Care Credit and I think it was like a year interest free.

I think the price quoted you is absurd and the fact that they don't offer payments (I have no dental insurance and everywhere offers me Care Credit if I chose to make payments) is crazy too. I'm glad I saved my tooth and I strongly advise you to look elsewhere! Good Luck!

Oh I did! I called the local dental school, I called a "chain" dental place. I applied for care credit, but was denied because I have no credit. I don't own any credit cards of any kind. I pay most everything I can with cash and my husband can't get approved because he has a lot of student loan debt. The student dental place had a waiting list that was too long and the chain cost about the same amount.

 

[herdtoDisney]

Oh I did! I called the local dental school, I called a "chain" dental place. I applied for care credit, but was denied because I have no credit. I don't own any credit cards of any kind. I pay most everything I can with cash and my husband can't get approved because he has a lot of student loan debt. The student dental place had a waiting list that was too long and the chain cost about the same amount.

Oh dear, that stinks The only other thing I can think of, is to maybe call a local endodontist and see what they say, or even an older local dentist-he/she might know of someone who can work with you. Since I don't have dental insurance, I've had to call many places, and the chains are always so expensive! I've had my best luck with local providers.

 

[Hannathy]

Sorry, I know all about dental problems. Actually just getting over an abscessed tooth that had to be "pulled" by the oral surgeon last week. You name it I have had it and had it done! and by everyone from the dental school to specialists.

Dental care is expensive, I had hoped to save for implants for my bottom teeth (including the one now gone) but had that hope squashed last week when he informed me implants go for about 4-5 thousand a tooth and I would need at least 3. So I go in next week and we are going to start work and hopefully find a way to put a bridge in there.

If these are the first teeth you have had pulled I wouldn't worry too much, you will be fine with 2 less teeth. And extractions aren't bad, I doubt you will need the strong pain pills past the first day to day and a half.

I would like to add and hope you don't get mad but after this if it was me I would get a credit card so I had a credit history. You don't have to use it much, just a bit and pay it off that month but with kids, you really should have a credit history. What if this was one of them? with a credit history you could have got the care credit another poster was talking about.

 

[sjms71]

I can't believe the dental school is still so much . I have gone to the dental school close to me (UNC Chapel Hill). Root canal on last tooth was $625. I pay and submit claim to insurance then they cover 80% of it. I have had such bad experiences with dentist so a friend suggested the dental school. I have received the best care there.

 

[Buzzsgramma]

i was just at the dentist, no dental ins....on Medicare....

i had a tooth that was cracked in 2 places...

build up $310

crown $1160

scheduled appt. for 2 visits all in May

 

[Kay1]

Well, the cost is just too much all at once. They aren't able to do bill payments, so out my teeth come tomorrow. I just hope they are semi-healed for WDW.

Tardis, I just wanted to say that I think you're making the right choice and wish you the best.

 

[angwill]

I'm trying to figure out what is reasonable and what is an arm and a leg. Also, include the cost of the crown and if you have insurance.

I need two root canals, but the price I was quoted (with insurance) seens really high. However, I've never needed a root canal before so maybe it's the norm :confused ? For two, with the root canal being done in a different location, the total cost is around $7,500-8,000. That is WITH insurance.

I contacted a local dentistry school and heard a lower price for the root canal portion, but about the same for the crown. So, any thoughts? What are some averages you've had?

The actually crown probably will not vary because the dentist or school have to buy they from a company that makes them. They go up in cost every year as well. The root canal itself will vary depending on the dentist or school which will always be lower. About 3 years ago my dentist was charging $2700 for a root canal, post, and crown.

 

[TARDIS]

Tardis, I just wanted to say that I think you're making the right choice and wish you the best.

Thank you, I appreciate it.

Well, I'm in bed post procedure. Since I opted to put out total cost out of pocket was 200 for both teeth. I'll be healed up in time (for the most part) for wdw. I stocked up on pudding, ice cream and soup. I also have a lovely script next to me and some gatorade. My husband took the day off of work and I get to surf Dis all day. It's...it's almost like a weird and twisted mini vacation, and the cost of admission was two teeth. (oh I'm still slightly loopy from being put out).

 

[angierae]

I, too, would pull back teeth before paying that much. I had some impacted wisdom teeth removed and it was discovered that I had a huge cavity on one of the teeth the wisdom tooth was pressed up against. My dentist wanted to pull it and put an implant in, spending THOUSANDS. For a very very back tooth!

He said he could try to do a filling, but i might lose the tooth, and if I didn't get an implant, then I'd lose the tooth on top, too.

I told him if that happened, I'd just be missing two teeth, because I wasnt' paying for implants for back teeth.

It's more filling than tooth right now, but it's holding together fine. If I lose it eventually, I lose it. I have a lot more important things to spend 5-6-7 thousand dollars on than back teeth.

 

[BubMunkeyBles]

Wow. That is horrible. Another reason why dental tourism is on the rise. Not many people can afford thousands of dollars to save a tooth.

 

[MomToOne]

I had 4 root canals/crowns done several years ago. 2 of them needed elongations. We spread the work out over 2 or 3 calendar years to max out my dental insurance so I can't remember exactly how much it all was. I feel like it was about $5K out of pocket, and that was with what most dentists call "really good!" dental insurance coverage.

But...within two years, two of those teeth ended up needing to be pulled anyway - one because the tooth broke off at the base (it was one of the teeth an elongation was done on) and the other because a massive cavity somehow developed under the crown that was missed by my dentist in my regular checkups until it was too late (it was the other tooth an elongation was done on - coincidence?). So the root canals/elongations/crowns were just a HUGE waste of money. And on one of the other teeth, they put the crown on crooked and it also developed a cavity underneath as a result after just a year, so the crown had to be removed, the cavity dealt with, and a new crown put on. At least they caught that one in time! But it still cost me an extra pretty penny for that second crown - because it was so soon after the first crown, my insurance wouldn't cover that work at all.

I've decided denistry is more an art than a science

I am in the process of getting an implant for the first tooth that I had extracted, and a second implant will follow for the other one. The bone graft/implant is not covered by my insurance, although the crown for it is partially. Out of pocket the implants will end up running me about $3K each. I could have chosen to have a bridge put in, which my insurance would have covered nicely, but after researching I decided the implant was the better long-term solution. I can't help thinking, though, how much cheaper it would have been for me to just have had the stupid teeth extracted and gone on straight to the implant.

So, personally, as an extreme dental chair veteran, I'd say you made the right choice, esp. if there was a chance an elongation would have been involved! And I've found healing up from an extraction is not a big deal (although I admit that is with a GREAT oral surgeon who does a bang-up job stitching things up!).

 

[TARDIS]

Yeah I'm thinking that saving long term for implants will be the way to go for now. Doing that once a year with our insurance may be more durable and long lasting.

 

[Purrrrfecta]

I know in the two major cities in Kentucky, which are Lexington and Louisville
for an upper Molar (#2) the cost is $981. for a root canal, and about $700 for crown.

At the school of dentistry root canal is $500 Not sure of the cost of a crown.

This is OP.