The average cost of root canal retreatment is $1158.55 and that is without dental insurance. However the tooth type that needs a retreatment is a big factor in the price of treatment. Although if you have insurance, you can lower your out of pocket cost significantly.
All of the numbers and statistics that we’ll be providing are based off of the 2022 survey of fees by the American Dental Association.
Note: The cost for root canal retreatment will always be more than a regular root canal. The reason is because the retreatment is more complex since your dentist needs to first undo the existing root canal before redoing it. The need for undoing it is what makes it cost more.
Root canal retreatment cost by tooth type
Depending on which tooth needs the root canal retreatment, the price will differ. Insurance has categorized all of the teeth into three distinct dental codes to simply billing. You can think of each of these 3 codes as the 3 different types of teeth.
The 3 dental codes for root canal retreatments:
- D3346 – retreatment for anterior teeth.
- D3347 – retreatment for premolar teeth.
- D3348 – retreatment for molar teeth.
| Tooth Type For Retreatment | Average Cost | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Anterior teeth | $1009.41 | $720-1485 |
| Premolars | $1129.42 | $850-1570 |
| Molars | $1336.81 | $963-1870 |
Essentially the front teeth (anteriors) cost the least with an average of $1009.41 while the molars cost $1336.81 which is the most. The premolars cost $1129.42 and are in between the two price wise.
Reason for price discrepancy
As you may have astutely noticed, the price for retreatment increases as you move from the front teeth towards the back teeth. Reason for the increase in cost is due to the fact that the posterior teeth have more nerves in them.
Tooth type and number of nerves:
- Anterior teeth have on average one nerve.
- Premolars have on average two nerves.
- Molars have on average three-four nerves.
What this means your dentist has to do more work to complete the treatment. Basically for the molars, they’re practically doing 3-4 root canals in one tooth.
Root canal retreatment cost with insurance
The average cost of root canal retreatment with insurance is $231.71 with 80% coverage and $579.28 with 50% coverage. Ultimately it depends on how much coverage you have for the procedure and the tooth type that needs treatment.
In our dental practice, we most commonly see dental insurances cover the procedure between 50-80% but it really depends on your plan. The difference in coverage is a result of you purchasing a low, basic, or high plan. Typically the more expensive the plan the better the coverage.
| Tooth Type | 50% Coverage | 80% Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Anterior teeth | $504.71 | $201.88 |
| Premolars | $564.71 | $225.88 |
| Molars | $668.41 | $267.362 |
The table above is an example of what you would expect to pay for retreatment if you had insurance. We gave you an estimate for the price with 50% and also 80% coverage.
Can I get higher coverage?
Most commonly we see 50-80% coverage with 80% being the highest that we’ve personally seen. However that doesn’t mean that you can’t get more than that.
You can always negotiate with the insurance for the amount of coverage before signing the contract. Of course if you do opt for higher coverage, the monthly premiums will consequently increase in parallel.
Note: If you get insurance through your employer, typically it is your HR that has pre-negotiated all of the different plan levels.
Additional costs
After you finish the retreatment for your root canal, that doesn’t make it the end of your dental journey. Typically afterwards, you will need a core build up and also a dental crown to protect the tooth. In other words, there will be additional costs involved in paying for those two additional procedures. No, they are not included in the retreatment cost!
Last but not least, you also have to take into consideration possibility of your insurance denying the claim. A tooth getting a root canal for the first time is usually always approved. However a tooth needing a retreat may not always get approved. If they deny the claim you will be responsible for the full amount.
Takeaway
On average you can expect to pay $1158.55 for a root canal retreatment but the exact amount will depend on which tooth needs it. The closer it is to the front teeth, the less it will be and the back most tooth will cost more.
Hopefully you have insurance because you can cut the out of pocket expense by 50-80% because that is typically what it can cover.
It may be a bummer having to pay for a second round of endodontic treatment but it is one of the few ways to eliminate your recurring tooth nerve pain and save your tooth.