How much are root canals? In the United States, a root canal alone commonly costs in the high hundreds to low thousands of dollars, and the total rises considerably if the tooth also needs a crown afterwards. The tooth position is the biggest cost driver, because molars have more canals and take longer to treat than front teeth.
The short answer on average cost
Published guides commonly report root canal treatment alone, before any crown, in these broad ranges in the United States, dated 2 November 2026:
- Front tooth: about 700 dollars to 1,100 dollars
- Premolar, the tooth behind the canine: about 800 dollars to 1,200 dollars
- Molar, a back tooth: about 1,000 dollars to 1,500 dollars
Those figures cover the root canal procedure itself. They do not automatically include a filling or a crown afterwards, which many back teeth need for long term strength.
Why tooth position changes the price
A root canal treats the inside of a tooth, removing infected or inflamed pulp, cleaning and shaping the canals, and sealing them. Front teeth usually have one canal. Premolars usually have one or two. Molars usually have three or four, and their canals can curve or branch.
More canals mean more time, more instruments, and more complexity, so molar root canals cost more than front tooth root canals in most quotes. Retreatment of a tooth that has already had a root canal, treatment of a curved or calcified canal, and treatment by a specialist endodontist rather than a general dentist can also move the price higher.
The crown question: the cost most people miss
After a root canal, many teeth, especially molars, need a crown to protect them from fracture, because the tooth becomes more brittle once the pulp is removed and the tooth structure has been weakened by decay or previous fillings. A crown commonly adds about 800 dollars to 3,000 dollars to the total, depending on material and region, dated 2 November 2026.
That means a molar root canal plus a crown can total about 1,800 dollars to 4,500 dollars before insurance, even when the root canal alone sits in the 1,000 dollar to 1,500 dollar range. When you compare quotes, always ask whether a crown is included, recommended, or listed separately, and whether a core build up, which rebuilds the tooth structure under a crown, is also needed.
Front teeth sometimes need only a filling after a root canal, which costs less than a crown, but that decision depends on how much tooth structure remains and on your dentist's assessment.
What else drives root canal cost
- Specialist versus general dentist: endodontists specialise in root canals and may charge more, but they also handle complex cases routinely.
- Imaging: X rays and, in complex cases, three dimensional imaging add cost but help plan treatment.
- Emergency versus planned treatment: urgent treatment may carry different fees and may be followed by a second visit to complete the work.
- Location: prices vary by region and clinic.
- Insurance: many dental plans cover part of a root canal, often as a major or basic service depending on the plan, subject to deductibles, percentages, and annual maximums.
Ask for a written estimate that separates the root canal, any build up, and any crown, so you can see the total rather than only the first step.
Insurance and payment
Root canal cost with insurance depends on your plan's classification of the procedure, your deductible, the percentage covered, and your remaining annual maximum. A plan that covers 50 percent of a major service still leaves a large balance on a molar root canal plus crown, and a plan with a low annual maximum may be exhausted by the root canal alone.
Ask for a written benefit estimate before treatment where possible, showing the root canal, build up, and crown as separate lines, with the insurance contribution and your remaining balance for each line.
Questions to ask your dentist
- Which tooth needs treatment, and how many canals does it have?
- Will I need a crown afterwards, and what will it add to the total?
- Is a specialist referral recommended for my case?
- What is the total in writing, with root canal, build up, and crown shown separately?
- What would I owe after insurance, in writing?
This article gives general cost information only. It does not diagnose whether you need a root canal, and it does not replace advice from a dentist who has examined your tooth and X rays. Tooth pain, swelling, or a lingering ache after hot or cold food should be assessed promptly by a dentist, rather than self diagnosed from cost information.
Frequently asked questions
For the root canal alone, published guides commonly report about 700 dollars to 1,100 dollars for a front tooth, 800 dollars to 1,200 dollars for a premolar, and 1,000 dollars to 1,500 dollars for a molar, dated 2 November 2026, before any crown.
Add a crown, commonly about 800 dollars to 3,000 dollars, to the root canal range above. A molar root canal plus crown therefore commonly totals about 1,800 dollars to 4,500 dollars before insurance.
Molars have more canals, take longer to treat, and often need a crown afterwards. Front teeth usually have one canal and sometimes need only a filling afterwards.
- Image: An adult patient talking with a dentist in a dental office, discussing treatment. AI generated image in a photorealistic style. It is not a photograph of a real person.*