What does a root canal actually cost in Beverly Hills?
The honest answer is that it depends on the tooth, your plan, and whether the tooth has been treated before. Here is what drives the number, and how to find out yours before you commit to anything.
Five things that change what you pay
Any office that quotes you a firm price over the phone is guessing. These are the variables that actually decide the number.
Which tooth needs treatment
A front incisor has a single canal. A back molar can have four or more, sometimes with curves that are difficult to reach. More canals means more time under the microscope, and that is the single biggest driver of price.
First treatment or a retreatment
Redoing a root canal that failed elsewhere costs more than treating a tooth for the first time. The old filling material has to come out, missed canals have to be found, and the tooth has to be resealed properly.
Specialist or general dentist
An endodontist typically charges more than a general dentist for the same tooth. You are paying for two extra years of training, a surgical microscope, and roughly 25 root canals a week instead of one or two.
Whether you want sedation
IV sedation is optional and billed separately. Most patients do fine with local anesthetic alone. It is there for people whose anxiety would otherwise keep them out of the chair.
Your insurance, and where you are in the plan year
This is usually the largest swing of all. Your deductible, your plan's out of network coverage percentage, and how much of your annual maximum you have already used can change your reimbursement dramatically for the exact same procedure. See our insurance page for how out of network coverage works.
What the fee includes
A root canal quote is not just the procedure. Here is what is part of treatment at our office, and what is billed separately so there are no surprises.
Included in treatment
The root canal procedure itself
Local anesthetic
Microscope-guided cleaning and shaping
Sealing and a temporary filling
Post-treatment follow up
Billed separately
The permanent crown, placed by your dentist
Any additional teeth needing treatment
Retreatment of a previously treated tooth
One thing people forget: the crown
Most back teeth need a crown after a root canal to protect the tooth long term. That is placed by your general dentist, not here, and it is a separate cost on a separate bill. When you are comparing quotes, make sure you know whether the crown is in the number you are being given.
Root canal cost questions
How much does a root canal cost without insurance?
It depends mostly on which tooth is being treated. A front tooth with one canal is the least expensive. A back molar with four canals takes considerably longer and costs more. Call us with the tooth in question and we will give you a real number rather than a range you cannot plan around. We also accept CareCredit, which spreads the cost over monthly payments.
How much does a root canal cost with insurance?
Most PPO plans reimburse a meaningful share of endodontic treatment even out of network. What you get back depends on your deductible, your plan's out of network coverage percentage, and how much of your annual maximum is left. Call your insurer and ask those three questions before your visit. See our insurance page for how out of network works with us.
Why does an endodontist cost more than a general dentist?
An endodontist completed two additional years of training focused only on root canals, works under a surgical microscope, and performs about 25 of these a week rather than one or two. For a straightforward front tooth the difference may not matter much. For a complex molar or a tooth that has already failed once, it is usually the difference between saving the tooth and losing it.
Is a root canal cheaper than pulling the tooth?
Extraction is cheaper on the day. It is usually more expensive over time, because a missing back tooth typically needs an implant or bridge to replace it, and that costs substantially more than the root canal would have. Keeping your natural tooth is almost always the better financial decision as well as the better clinical one.
Does the price include the crown?
No. Most back teeth need a crown after a root canal, and that is placed by your general dentist on a separate bill. When you compare quotes between offices, check whether the crown is included in the number you are given, because often it is not.
How much does root canal retreatment cost?
Retreatment generally costs more than a first-time root canal. The previous filling material has to be removed, canals that were missed the first time have to be located, and the tooth has to be cleaned and resealed. It is more work, and it usually takes longer.
Can I pay for a root canal over time?
Yes. We accept CareCredit, which lets you spread treatment costs across monthly payments, along with all major credit and debit cards. If cost is the reason you are putting off treatment, call us. An untreated infected tooth gets more expensive, not less.
Stop guessing what it will cost
Tell us which tooth is bothering you. Dr. Maz examines it, explains what the treatment involves, and gives you the cost before anything begins. No estimate ranges you cannot plan around.
Putting it off because of cost? An infected tooth gets more expensive, not less. See our insurance and payment options.