There are two main talking points when making the decision to get a root canal. One is the pain you anticipate. And the second, which is a more vital determinant, is the question of how much a root canal treatment will cost.
You may choose to shun routine dental visits indefinitely. But a root canal can’t be ignored. An abscess and other serious dental problems may develop if the infection isn’t treated.
First, however, it’s prudent to investigate your options to have a reasonable idea of root canal treatment pricing. We understand you not only want to treat a root canal and take good care of your dentition. But you also want to save a lot of money.
In this article, we won’t just stop at discussing root canal costs. We’ll also provide a close look at the inner workings of how dentists determine pricing for a root canal treatment.
Root Canal Treatment Cost: The Short Answer
There’s no set rule of thumb regarding the cost of a root canal. The total price will depend on specific circumstances. However, the cost of root canal treatments in Ontariomay range from $300 to $2,000 on average.
What Determines How Much a Root Canal Treatment Costs
The following variables affect pricing for a root canal treatment:
Tooth’s Location
Several location-related factors highly impact root canal treatment prices. These include the tooth’s accessibility, the number of canals it has, and its location in the mouth.
Posterior teeth like molars may have three or more canals per root. Meanwhile, anterior teeth such as incisors and canines often have just one.
Teeth with multiple canals will cost more to treat with root canal therapy. And this position is so because each canal must be instrumented and filled separately. In addition, additional canals in a tooth will increase the total cost because of three things:
- Greater degree of complexity
- Treatment duration
- Quantity of supplies required
The Root Morphology
Root canal costs in Ontario often go up when the treatment requires multiple dental appointments. For example, it may take more than one visit to finish the canal system of a tooth with long and tortuous canals. Also, multiple appointments become necessary if bifurcations or other variations are present throughout the canal length.
Calcification
Sometimes the pulp becomes packed with hard tissue due to a process called calcification. This situation typically follows dental trauma.
The affected tooth may need root canal therapy if the calcified pulp becomes infected. Typically, you’ll know the tooth needs attention because it’ll discolour into a shade of black.
Calcification makes canals hard to find and instrument; therefore, you may need an endodontist to do the job. And this resort will inevitably increase how much you pay for a root canal procedure.
Specialist Referral
The cost to book a root canal appointment may also increase if the root canal case requires a specialist. And we mentioned one such specialist earlier — an endodontist.
Microscopes and cone-beam computed tomography (CT) scans are just two examples of the advanced technology available to endodontists. This equipment makes root canal therapy easier and faster for patients.
Inevitably, the cost of root canal treatment will rise if you went to a specialist with access to sophisticated equipment. But with the ability of endodontists to perform between eight and twenty root canals daily with high efficiency, their service cost is justified.
Retreatment of Earlier Root Canals
Re-instrumenting, filling, and removal of old filling material are all necessary steps in retreating a failed root canal. Also, you’re likely to need a crown on any teeth you’re retreating.
Re-treating a failed root canal procedure is more complicated and time-consuming than first-time treatments. Consequently, root canal treatments of this nature will cost higher than usual.
Complications
Complications increase the cost to book a root canal appointment. Imagine a scenario where the affected tooth has severe contamination or abscess. Here, the dentist must first spend considerable time draining the infection.
Another complication is the affected tooth requiring multiple dressings before filling can begin. Here, expect the overall cost of the root canal treatment to be higher than the city-wide average.
Crowns
After undergoing endodontic treatment, a tooth may need a crown. Dental crowns reinforce this tooth against breakage and revitalize it to full function. They’re an additional expense that increases root canal treatment costs.
Similarly, your dentist may recommend using a dental post following treatment. A dental post is a small implant necessary to restore tooth strength. It’s especially important when the tooth has been severely damaged due to significant tooth structure loss. This support will also influence the cost of root canal treatment.
Your Location
Root canal treatment pricing varies significantly across the country. In addition, variations in overhead and operational expenses from one location to the next can affect pricing.
How to Reduce Root Canal Treatment Costs
At this point, you should have a more apparent answer to questions like “how much does a root canal cost.” But how can you reduce the cost to the bare minimum?
Compare Pricing
Sticking with the dentist you see for the first time is not necessary. Instead, find out from loved ones who they see for dental care and how much they pay on average.
Get Covered for Dental Care With Insurance
A root canal is a costly emergency procedure, and the relatively low cost of dental health insurance could rescue the day.
Enroll in a Dental Payment Plan
Root canals may be expensive, but you can spread out the cost with a payment plan. First, ask your dentist if they accept payment plans. If they do, don’t forget to ask for the terms and conditions.
Related Article: Everything You Need to Know About Root Canal Treatment
Summary
The cost of root canal treatment may be up to $2000. You can expect to pay way less than that figure. Dental complications and the affected tooth’s location can influence how cheap or expensive the procedure can get.
As earlier established in this article, the root canal is quite delicate to treat. And considering its costs, you want a competent dentist to handle your procedure.
When you choose Thornhill Dental for your root canal needs, you’ll be leveraging our first-class facilities and experienced dentists. Plus, we offer varied payment options to make the cost of root canal treatments easier to bear.
Call 905-771-8100 to discuss your root canal treatment!