Short answer: In New Jersey, a root canal usually runs $700 to $1,800 depending on which tooth needs it. Front teeth sit at the low end, molars at the high end because they have more canals to clean out. That’s before the crown most back teeth need afterward, which adds about $1,000 to $1,500. With dental insurance, your share often drops to $200 to $600. Here’s the full breakdown.
Why the tooth decides the price
A root canal cleans infection out of the inside of a tooth, seals it, and saves it. The work scales with how many canals the tooth has. A front tooth has one. A premolar has one or two. A molar has three or four, tucked at the back of your mouth where they’re harder to reach. More canals means more time in the chair, so the fee climbs from front to back.
| Tooth | Canals | Typical NJ cost (before crown) |
|---|---|---|
| Front tooth (incisor / canine) | 1 | $700 – $1,100 |
| Premolar (bicuspid) | 1–2 | $800 – $1,300 |
| Molar (back tooth) | 3–4 | $1,000 – $1,800 |
These are typical market figures for 2026, not a quote for your tooth. The only number that counts is the one after an exam and X-ray. You can see how we handle the treatment itself on our root canal treatment page.
Don’t forget the crown
Here’s the part price lists tend to hide. After a root canal, a back tooth is more brittle and usually needs a crown to protect it from cracking. That crown runs about $1,000 to $1,500 on its own. So a molar root canal plus its crown can land somewhere near $2,000 to $3,300 all in. Front teeth don’t always need a crown, which is another reason they cost less overall. Our dental crowns page walks through that step.
Root canal cost with vs without insurance
Most dental plans treat a root canal as a basic or major service and pay roughly 50 to 80 percent after your deductible, up to the plan’s yearly maximum. In practice that usually leaves $200 to $600 out of pocket for the root canal, with the crown counted as its own separate service.
Without insurance, you’re looking at the full figures in the table above. That sounds steep, but it’s worth putting next to the alternative. Skipping treatment lets the infection spread, and an abscessed tooth often turns into an emergency visit that costs more and hurts a lot more. If you’re already in pain, our emergency dental care can see you quickly.
Is it cheaper to just pull the tooth?
On the day, yes. An extraction costs less than a root canal. But that’s a short view of the math. Once the tooth is gone, you either live with the gap or pay to replace it, and a single implant or bridge costs several times what the root canal would have. Pulling a savable tooth to save a few hundred dollars usually ends up costing thousands. If a tooth genuinely can’t be saved, we’ll tell you straight and talk through extraction instead. Most of the time, keeping your own tooth is both the healthier and the cheaper call.
Does it hurt, and how long does it take?
The root canal has a worse reputation than it deserves. The pain people dread is almost always the infected tooth beforehand, and the procedure is what relieves it. We numb the tooth completely first, so it feels a lot like getting a deep filling. Most root canals wrap up in 60 to 90 minutes in a single visit, though a molar with extra canals can run longer. If dental anxiety is the thing keeping you away, ask about our sedation options before you book.
How people pay for it
We run your insurance and tell you the real out-of-pocket number before we start, not after. For the balance, we work with CareCredit and offer payment plans, so most patients spread the cost over a few months rather than paying it all at once.
Get a firm root canal quote in Pennsauken
Tooth pain rarely improves on its own. Book an exam at AZ Dental Spa and we’ll take an X-ray, tell you whether a root canal is the right fix, and give you an exact price with your insurance applied.
Book an appointment · Call (856) 661-9191
Root canal cost: quick answers
How much is a root canal without insurance?
About $700 to $1,100 for a front tooth, $800 to $1,300 for a premolar, and $1,000 to $1,800 for a molar, plus $1,000 to $1,500 if you need a crown afterward.
Does insurance cover a root canal?
Usually 50 to 80 percent after your deductible, up to your annual maximum, which often leaves $200 to $600 out of pocket for the root canal itself.
Is a root canal cheaper than pulling the tooth?
Over time, yes. Extraction is cheaper on the day, but replacing the tooth with an implant or bridge costs far more than saving it would have.
How long does a root canal take?
Most take 60 to 90 minutes in one visit. Molars with more canals can run longer or need a second appointment.
Does a root canal hurt?
Not during the procedure — the tooth is fully numbed. It relieves the pain of the infection rather than causing new pain, and sedation is available if you’re nervous.
