How much does a root canal cost in the UK?

Root canal treatment costs 76.60 pounds on the NHS in England as a Band 2 treatment. At Toothi London in Edgware it is 450 pounds for a front tooth, 525 pounds for a premolar and 600 pounds for a molar. First-stage treatment to relieve pain is 350 pounds.

Why does a molar root canal cost more than a front tooth?

A front tooth usually has one root canal, a premolar one or two, and a molar typically three or four which often curve. Each canal must be found, cleaned along its full length, shaped and sealed, and a molar is harder to reach and keep dry, so the appointment takes longer.

Is it better to have the tooth out instead?

Extraction costs less on the day at 145 pounds, but replacing the tooth afterwards costs more than saving it. An implant is 1,995 pounds and a bridge from 595 pounds per unit. Leaving the gap allows neighbouring teeth to drift. Saving the tooth usually works out lower-cost over time as well as being the more conservative option.

Will I need a crown after root canal treatment?

Often on back teeth. A root-treated molar has lost internal structure and is more likely to fracture, so a crown from 595 pounds protects it. Front teeth can frequently be restored with a filling instead. You will be told which applies before treatment starts.

Root canal cost UK

Root canal treatment costs £76.60 on the NHS in England, where it falls under Band 2. Privately it usually depends on which tooth is being treated. At Toothi London in Edgware it is £450 for a front tooth, £525 for a premolar and £600 for a molar — three published figures rather than one range. If you are in pain now, first-stage treatment to settle it is £350.

Fees correct as of September 2026. Set and reviewed by Dr Ali El-Kabengi (GDC 270807), principal dentist at Toothi London, 1 Handel Parade, Edgware HA8 6LD. NHS charges quoted from the published NHS band charges for England.

Root canal prices at Toothi

Treatment	Price
Root canal extirpation — first-stage pain relief	£350
Root canal treatment — front tooth (incisor or canine)	£450
Root canal treatment — premolar	£525
Root canal treatment — molar	£600
Crown after root canal treatment, where the tooth needs one	from £595
Emergency appointment	£65
Tooth extraction, if the tooth cannot be saved	£145

Every figure here is published on our fees page. Read more about the treatment on our root canal treatment page.

Why a molar costs more than a front tooth

Because it is a different amount of work. A front tooth usually has one root canal. A premolar commonly has one or two. A molar typically has three or four, sometimes more, and they curve.

Each canal has to be found, cleaned along its full length, shaped and sealed. Missing one is the most common reason root canal treatment fails later. A molar at the back of the mouth is also harder to reach and harder to keep dry, so the appointment simply takes longer. Practices that quote a single price for "root canal treatment" are averaging across all of that, which means front-tooth patients tend to subsidise molar patients.

If you are in pain right now

Toothache from an infected or dying nerve does not settle on its own, and painkillers only hold it for so long. The treatment that stops it is extirpation — opening the tooth, removing the inflamed nerve tissue and dressing it. At Toothi that is £350, and it is usually done as its own appointment so you leave out of pain.

The full root canal treatment is then completed afterwards at the price for that tooth. Splitting it this way means you are not sitting in pain waiting for a long appointment slot. See our emergency dentist page or call 020 3148 2444.

Signs that you should be seen urgently rather than waiting: pain that wakes you at night, throbbing that does not settle with painkillers, pain on biting, facial swelling, or a bad taste from one area. Facial swelling that is spreading, or any difficulty swallowing or breathing, is a medical emergency — go to A&E rather than waiting for a dental appointment.

NHS vs private root canal treatment

Route	Cost	Notes
NHS (England) — Band 2	£76.60	Covers the whole course of treatment in that band, including any fillings or extractions needed at the same time. A crown afterwards moves you into Band 3 at £332.10.
Toothi London, Edgware	£450–£600	Priced by tooth. Longer appointment times and your choice of when it is done.

The NHS charge is clearly lower, and where you can access NHS treatment for a tooth that needs it, that is a reasonable choice. Toothi is a fully private practice, so the prices on this page are directly comparable with any other private clinic.

Root canal treatment or extraction?

Taking the tooth out costs less on the day — £145 at Toothi against £450 to £600 — and for a tooth that is badly broken down or cracked below the gum it is sometimes the only realistic option. But it is worth looking at the whole cost rather than the appointment cost.

Path	Cost	What happens next
Root canal treatment, then a crown if needed	£450–£600, plus from £595	You keep your own tooth and root. Nothing else changes.
Extraction, gap left	£145	Neighbouring teeth can drift and the opposing tooth can over-erupt over time.
Extraction, then an implant	£145, then £1,995	Replaces the root as well as the tooth. The CBCT scan is taken at a referral imaging centre and paid to them directly.
Extraction, then a bridge	£145, then from £595 per unit	Requires preparing the healthy teeth either side.

Put that way, saving the tooth usually works out lower-cost over time as well as being the more conservative option. Our guide to implants, dentures and bridges goes through the replacement options if the tooth genuinely cannot be kept.

Common questions

Does a root canal hurt?

The reputation comes from an era before modern local anaesthetic. The tooth is fully numbed, and for most people the appointment feels much like having a filling — long, but not painful. What genuinely hurts is the infection beforehand, which is the thing the treatment removes. The tooth is often tender to bite on for a few days afterwards, and ordinary painkillers usually handle that.

How many appointments does it take?

Commonly two: one to remove the nerve tissue and dress the tooth, one to clean, shape and seal the canals. Some straightforward front teeth can be completed in a single visit. If you came in as an emergency, the first of those visits was the £350 extirpation.

Will I need a crown afterwards?

Often, on back teeth. A root-treated molar has lost a lot of its internal structure and is more likely to fracture, so a crown (from £595) protects it. Front teeth can frequently be restored with a filling instead. This is a clinical judgement about how much sound tooth is left, and you will be told which applies before treatment starts, not afterwards.

How long does a root-treated tooth last?

Well-treated and properly restored, it can last for decades. The main risks are fracture, which a crown reduces, and new decay at the margin, which cleaning and check-ups reduce. Treatment can fail, and re-treatment is sometimes possible, but no dentist can guarantee a tooth for a set number of years.

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0% interest-free finance is available over up to 10 months, or low-interest finance over up to 60 months at 12.9% APR representative (fixed), on treatment over £250. Cherry Dental Ltd trading as Toothi is a credit broker, not a lender, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 957242). Credit is provided by Tabeo, subject to status. All fees are confirmed in a written treatment plan before any treatment begins.