How Much Is a Root Canal With Dental Insurance?

When you get an infection on the inside of your tooth, you may need a root canal to remove bacteria from the pulp inside to save the tooth. This procedure can be extremely pricey, so getting one without insurance could put a major dent in your finances. However, the long-term price of not getting a root canal could wind up costing you way more down the line. 

How Much Does a Root Canal Cost with Dental Insurance?

With insurance, a root canal may cost as little as $240. In some cases, it may be up to $600. The amount you pay varies depending on the location of the tooth. 

The anterior, or front teeth, cost the least for a root canal. On average, that’ll run you around $600 to $900 if you don’t have insurance. That means if you do have insurance, you may only pay around $120. A premolar or bicuspid, on average, is between $700 and $1,000 without insurance. Molars are the most expensive, typically coming with a bill between $1,100 and $1,400 until insurance kicks in. 

Coverage Percentage

After your deductible has been met, most dental insurance plans will cover between 50% and 80% of the cost of a root canal. That means you’ll still have to put some money forward toward the procedure, though not nearly as much as you would have to pay without insurance. 

Deductible 

Healthcare plans typically come with a deductible. That’s a threshold amount you have to cross before insurance will intervene and start paying for things. Less expensive healthcare plans typically have lower deductibles. After you’ve hit your deductible, you’ll share in costs with your insurance company through copayments.

Your insurance may automatically cover procedures like routine checkups, so you only have to handle the copay. Though most dental insurers consider root canals basic procedures and will cover them, some plans may place root canals under a major procedure category and require you to hit your deductible before the insurer will intervene. 

Annual Maximum

Dental insurers have a limit on how much they’ll pay out in one year. That means if you get lots of procedures done, even if you’re helping out with copays, your insurer will eventually reach a cap and the bills will all go to you for the rest of the benefits period. That resets at the end of the year-long span your coverage falls under.

Pre-Authorization

Sometimes insurers won’t pay for things off the bat and will instead require a pre-authorization from your doctor explaining the thing you’re seeking coverage for is medically necessary and that no other, more affordable options exist. This may take several days or even weeks to process, and your insurer may still refuse to cover the procedure even if you have a pre-authorization.

Waiting Periods

After you sign up for dental insurance, there may be a period of time before it kicks into effect. In some cases this may be just a few days; in other instances, the waiting period could be weeks or months. This time is also known as a qualifying period. 

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network

Dentists do not all accept every insurance plan. Certain dentists partner only with particular insurers, and other insurance companies are considered out of network. That means if you get treatment at an out-of-network dentist’s office, you’ll have to pay full price for services. Check with the dentist to ensure they accept your insurance plan before you go to that dental office for care.

What Factors Affect How Much a Root Canal Treatment Costs?

Root canals do not have a flat rate wherever you go. The following factors impact how much you’ll have to pay for your root canal.

Tooth Location

Where your tooth is within your mouth will impact the final cost of the treatment. That’s because not all teeth have the same number of roots. The more roots a tooth has, the more work it is for a dentist to clean out the bacteria, and the higher the bill will be. Front (also called anterior) teeth have only one root. A molar can have up to three. 

Additional Procedures

Before a root canal, your dentist or endodontist will need to do some X-rays of the tooth that requires the procedure. You may also try out other exams, like an electric pulp test, which sends a current through your tooth to see if the pulp reacts. Without insurance, a dental X-ray will typically cost between $100 and $200. With insurance, it may be entirely covered or require only a copay. 

During the root canal itself, you’ll get a numbing agent to the area of the mouth where the dentist will be working. The dentist will drill a small hole through the tooth’s crown and then remove nerves, blood vessels and tissues from your tooth pulp. The dentist will clean and disinfect the root chamber and root canal, then fill the chamber with a rubbery dental material. Finally, they’ll seal the area with a dental filling to keep bacteria out.  

You’ll need follow-up appointments afterward. That’ll include getting a permanent crown on top of the tooth. If you don’t take care of that tooth, you may need to go back yet again to have it examined or repaired. 

The crown alone without insurance can cost upwards of $1,000, not including labor. You may wind up paying more like $1,800 out of pocket without insurance. If you do have insurance, it’ll likely cover a percentage of the cost of the crown and dental service.

Geographic Location

As with any cost of living, where you live will impact the cost of treatment. Certain cities have higher prices — a root canal in New York or Los Angeles is likely to cost more, just as most things in those cities do. You also have to factor in how many dentists are available in your region. A rural area might have fewer dentists and demand may drive up costs.

In the Northeast, the average cost of a root canal — including lower-cost areas of the mouth like your front teeth, along with higher-cost molars — runs between $913 and $1,231. In the Midwest, it’ll be more like $912 to $1,259. The South is a bit more affordable, with a root canal running between $912 and $1,259.  The Western U.S. is the cheapest area to get a root canal, with the average bill totaling between $890 and $1,221. 

Endodontist or General Dentist

Endodontists specialize in root canals. Because they’re specialists, they typically charge a bit more than a general dentist would to perform that same procedure. However, if your tooth is severely infected or has other complications, you may be better off going to an endodontist.

Dental Insurance

Root canals are still expensive, even with insurance. Between the exams, the root canal itself, the crown and follow-up treatments, even paying copays and dividing up the bill with your insurer adds up. 

Example of Having a Root Canal With and Without Insurance

Remember, most insurers won’t cover the full cost of a root canal. Although it’s an emergency, it’s one that can often be prevented if you get regular checkups and take good care of your teeth. Between exams before the procedure, the root canal itself, the crown and its installation and any final follow-ups, the bill will come out to around $750 to $1,200 with insurance.

That’s still much better than you’d pay without insurance, which can sometimes double your final bill. Although the cost of the root canal itself is similar with or without insurance, the insurance pays quite a bit towards the check-ups, exams and crowns. 

Get the Best Dental Insurance from Benzinga’s Top Providers

If you’re searching for insurance, Benzinga has plenty of options to help you with the hunt. Whether you want to get quotes online for different dental plans, compare plans, take a quick look at what plans are best for which scenarios or read up on affordable options, Benzinga has you covered. 

What to Expect When it Comes to Root Canals and Your Wallet

You don’t have much of a way to get around it: if you need a root canal, you’ll be paying a pretty penny. However, several things will impact how much you have to pay. The biggest impact will be whether you have insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions