Cost of root canal

[Anonymous]

My mom needs two root canals and has no dental insurance. The price she has is $1200 per tooth and then $2000 per tooth for a crown. So over $6000. Seems outrageous to me. Is this the going rate?

[Anonymous]

I don't know what it is now, but when I was young, single, and poor, I put off getting a root canal because insurance didn't cover all of it and I had no money. I kept hoping the tooth would stop hurting, but it got worse and worse: the worst pain I've ever experienced, including childbirth. This went on for weeks. Finally, the tooth did abruptly stop hurting (because the root eventually just died on its own). Then my whole face swelled up, and it turns out I had a massive infection that needed treating, and my dentist told me that people used to die from doing what I did.

Get this done for your mom because the tooth pain can be worse than childbirth. Also, she could get an infection if you just leave it. Just pay it, and soon.

[Anonymous]

I just paid 2k for a single tooth root canal, though I know this was on the higher side. And 2500 for crown. Also higher side. 'Fancy', Chevy Chase dentist/ endo.

[Anonymous]

I would say those prices are average, for this area. You could get it done cheaper, in other areas, including Georgia. But local would make any followups or problems easier to deal with.

[Anonymous]

Did you look for a dental school?

[Anonymous]

yep, that sounds about right. I've had 3 done. 1 had to be redone, too.

[Anonymous]

My mom got excellent dental care at the University of Maryland dental school. There's two clinics-one primarily has dental students, the other clinic has dental residents who have completed dental school. She went to the resident clinic. There was always an attending dentist and factulty member overseeing the procedures and everything was being done. The cost was about half the price. We had a good experience. Also, they don't remember unnecessary procedures.

[Anonymous]

Why does it cost so much?

[Anonymous]

OP, if money is an issue, I would seriously suggest looking at options available internationally.

Despite the occasional critics of having medical procedures done in other countries many Americans do this and the standard of care is very good. There are providers who specifically cater to Americans. Even the Brits get a lot of their dental work done in other countries. You would be amazed at how much cheaper it is to get dental work done in other countries.

But I would agree with PPs' who advised not ignoring the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if money is an issue, I would seriously suggest looking at options available internationally.

Despite the occasional critics of having medical procedures done in other countries many Americans do this and the standard of care is very good. There are providers who specifically cater to Americans. Even the Brits get a lot of their dental work done in other countries. You would be amazed at how much cheaper it is to get dental work done in other countries.

But I would agree with PPs' who advised not ignoring the problem.

Two root canals and a plane ticket would not be cheaper than dental school or a low to midrange dentist locally or in another state. Please.