How much does a root canal cost?
A root canal is £76.60 on the NHS (Band 2) or £300–£1,500 privately in 2026 — the price depends mostly on which tooth, because molars have more canals to clean.
| Tooth | NHS | Private (general) |
|---|---|---|
| Front tooth (incisor/canine) | £76.60 | £300 – £700 |
| Premolar | £76.60 | £400 – £800 |
| Molar | £76.60 | £500 – £900 |
| Molar with specialist (endodontist) | £76.60 | £900 – £1,500 |
NHS Band 2 is one flat fee for any tooth. London private fees run 30–50% higher. A crown afterwards is extra.
The NHS fee is the same whatever the tooth, and it's by far the cheapest route if you can get an appointment. Privately, molars cost most because they have three or four canals and take longer. A specialist endodontist costs more but is often worth it for difficult or re-treatment cases. Remember most back teeth need a crown afterwards to protect them — budget for that too.
Of 598 root-treated teeth followed for up to 37 years, 97% were still in the mouth at 10 years, 81% at 20 years and 76% at 30.
Two things measurably changed the odds. Wearing a night guard cut the risk of losing the tooth (odds ratio 0.34), while a cast metal post roughly doubled it (2.14). Deep gum pockets and an existing infection at the root tip before treatment both worsened the outlook — which is why the state of the gum matters as much as the root filling.
- López-Valverde I, Vignoletti F, Vignoletti G, Martin C, Sanz M. Long-term tooth survival and success following primary root canal treatment: a 5- to 37-year retrospective observation. Clinical Oral Investigations 2023;27(6):3233–3244. doi:10.1007/s00784-023-04938-y · CC BY 4.0
Prices on this page are ours, read from practices' own fee guides. The findings above are independent peer-reviewed research, cited so you can check them. All sources and licences.
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How much is a root canal in the UK?
On the NHS it is £76.60 (Band 2, 2026) for any tooth. Privately with a general dentist it is roughly £300–£700 for a front tooth, £400–£800 for a premolar and £500–£900 for a molar. A specialist endodontist charges more — up to £900–£1,500 for a molar. London is 30–50% higher.
Why do back teeth cost more?
Molars have three or four canals and are harder to reach, so treatment takes longer and costs more than a single-canal front tooth.
Do I need a crown afterwards?
Usually on back teeth, yes — to stop the tooth splitting. That adds £500–£1,000 privately, or moves an NHS course to Band 3 (£332.10), which covers both the root canal and the crown together.
NHS charge: NHS England Band 2, 2026. Private ranges from UK practice fee guides, 2026. General information, not clinical advice.