Dental & oral health

What a Root Canal Costs, State by State

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Root canal prices are really three prices — front tooth, premolar, molar — plus the crown that almost always follows and is billed separately. This guide consolidates the 49 state rows published below, explains when paying a specialist more is the cheaper decision overall, and prices the extraction alternative honestly rather than as a bargain.

Last updated: August 2026History

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Three teeth, three prices, plus the crown

A root canal removes inflamed or infected pulp, cleans and shapes the canals, then fills and seals them. The work scales with the number of canals: a front tooth typically has one, premolars one or two, molars three or four and sometimes an extra hidden canal that is the usual reason a case is referred.

The crown is the part families forget. A treated back tooth is structurally weakened and usually needs full coverage to avoid fracturing, so the real cost of saving the tooth is the root canal plus the crown. Compare that total — not the root canal alone — against extraction and replacement.

What a root canal costs by state

Each row is that state's own published summary, generally by tooth type and before the crown. This table covers 49 states: Wyoming is not among them, because no state page exists for it to consolidate. For Wyoming, ask two local dental offices for a written quote covering the root canal and the crown together.

StateWhat the state's own guide reported
AlabamaA root canal in Alabama typically costs $650 to $1,450 with a general dentist, or $1,100 to $1,900 with an endodontist for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
AlaskaA root canal in Alaska typically costs $750 to $1,650 with a general dentist, or up to about $2,200 with an endodontist for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
ArizonaA root canal in Arizona typically costs $700 to $1,200 for a front tooth, $800 to $1,500 for a premolar, and $1,000 to $2,400 or more for a molar, before the crown that usually follows. Metro Phoenix and Scottsdale prices run at or above that range; rural and border counties often run below it. AHCCCS, Arizona's Medicaid program, covers root canals for adults only through a capped, emergency-focused benefit.
ArkansasA root canal in Arkansas has no single price: what a patient pays depends on which tooth is treated, whether a general dentist or an endodontist does the work, and whether a crown follows.
CaliforniaA root canal in California typically costs $700 to $2,000 or more before a crown, depending on the tooth and whether a general dentist or an endodontist treats it. Front teeth and premolars usually run at the lower end; molars, which have more canals, run higher.
ColoradoA root canal in Colorado typically costs $700 to $2,000 or more before a crown, depending on the tooth and whether a general dentist or an endodontist treats it.
ConnecticutA root canal in Connecticut typically costs $700 to $2,000 or more before a crown, depending on the tooth and whether a general dentist or an endodontist treats it.
DelawareA root canal in Delaware typically costs $700 to $2,000 or more before a crown, depending on the tooth and whether a general dentist or an endodontist treats it.
FloridaA root canal in Florida typically costs $700 to $2,000 or more before a crown, depending on the tooth and whether a general dentist or an endodontist treats it.
GeorgiaA root canal in Georgia typically costs $700 to $1,050 with a general dentist, or up to $2,000 with an endodontist for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
HawaiiA root canal in Hawaii typically costs $900 to $1,300 for a front tooth, $1,000 to $1,900 for a premolar, and $1,300 to $2,800 or more for a molar treated by an endodontist, before the crown that usually follows -- prices that run above the U.S. mainland average largely because materials and lab-made crowns ship in from the mainland.
IdahoA root canal in Idaho typically costs $600 to $1,000 for a front tooth, $700 to $1,300 for a premolar, and $900 to $2,200 or more for a molar treated by an endodontist, before the crown that usually follows.
IllinoisA root canal in Illinois typically costs $700 to $1,900 per tooth before a crown, with a front tooth at the low end and a molar — which has more canals and more chair time — at the high end.
IndianaA root canal in Indiana typically costs $650 to $1,100 for a front tooth, $750 to $1,400 for a premolar, and $900 to $2,200 or more for a molar treated by an endodontist, before the crown that usually follows.
IowaA root canal in Iowa typically costs $650 to $1,050 for a front tooth, $750 to $1,350 for a premolar, and $900 to $2,100 for a molar treated by an endodontist, before the crown that usually follows.
KansasA root canal in Kansas typically costs $700 to $1,100 for a front tooth, $800 to $1,300 for a premolar, and $1,000 to $1,800 or more for a molar, before the crown that usually follows. KanCare, the state's Medicaid program, covers root canals only in limited circumstances and varies by managed-care plan, so confirming your plan's rule before treatment matters as much as the fee itself.
KentuckyA root canal in Kentucky typically costs $650 to $1,050 for a front tooth, $750 to $1,200 for a premolar, and $900 to $2,000 or more for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
LouisianaA root canal in Louisiana typically costs $650 to $1,050 for a front tooth, $750 to $1,200 for a premolar, and $900 to $1,900 or more for a molar, before the crown that usually follows. Healthy Louisiana, the state's Medicaid program, covers root canals for most adults only in limited circumstances, so checking your specific plan matters before scheduling treatment.
MaineA root canal in Maine typically costs $750 to $1,150 for a front tooth, $850 to $1,350 for a premolar, and $1,000 to $2,200 or more for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
MarylandA root canal in Maryland typically costs $800 to $1,250 for a front tooth, $900 to $1,400 for a premolar, and $1,100 to $2,400 or more for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
MassachusettsA root canal in Massachusetts typically costs $850 to $1,300 for a front tooth, $950 to $1,450 for a premolar, and $1,100 to $2,500 or more for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
MichiganA root canal in Michigan typically costs $700 to $1,100 for a front tooth, $800 to $1,400 for a premolar, and $1,000 to $1,700 with a general dentist -- or $1,300 to $2,400 with an endodontist -- for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
MinnesotaA root canal in Minnesota typically runs $700 to $1,100 for a front tooth, $850 to $1,600 for a premolar, and $1,100 to $2,300 for a molar treated by an endodontist, before a separate crown.
MississippiA root canal in Mississippi typically costs $600 to $950 for a front tooth, $700 to $1,200 for a premolar, and $850 to $1,900 for a molar, more with an endodontist than a general dentist, before the crown that usually follows.
MissouriA root canal in Missouri typically costs $650 to $950 for a front tooth and $950 to $1,700 for a molar treated by a general dentist, more with an endodontist, before the crown that usually follows.
MontanaA root canal in Montana typically costs $650 to $1,050 for a front tooth, $800 to $1,400 for a premolar, and $950 to $2,100 for a molar, more with an endodontist than a general dentist, before the crown that usually follows.
NebraskaA root canal in Nebraska typically costs $600 to $1,000 for a front tooth, $700 to $1,300 for a premolar, and $850 to $1,650 with a general dentist -- or $1,150 to $2,000 with an endodontist -- for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
NevadaA root canal in Nevada typically costs $700 to $1,150 for a front tooth, $800 to $1,350 for a premolar, and $950 to $2,200 or more for a molar, before the crown that usually follows. Prices run highest in the Las Vegas and Reno metro areas, where most of Nevada's dentists and its few endodontists are concentrated, and Nevada Medicaid's adult dental benefit has grown but still has real limits worth checking.
New HampshireIn New Hampshire, a root canal typically costs $750 to $1,200 for a front tooth, $850 to $1,450 for a premolar, and $1,000 to $2,300 or more for a molar treated by an endodontist, not counting the crown that usually comes after.
New JerseyA root canal in New Jersey typically costs $850 to $1,350 for a front tooth, $950 to $1,550 for a premolar, and $1,100 to $2,600 or more for a molar treated by an endodontist, before the crown that usually follows.
New MexicoA root canal in New Mexico typically costs $600 to $1,000 for a front tooth, $700 to $1,150 for a premolar, and $850 to $1,900 or more for a molar treated by an endodontist, before the crown that usually follows.
New YorkA root canal in New York typically costs $750 to $1,500 for a front tooth, $850 to $1,700 for a premolar, and $1,000 to $3,000 or more for a molar treated by an endodontist, before the crown that usually follows.
North CarolinaA root canal in North Carolina typically costs $650 to $1,050 for a front tooth, $750 to $1,200 for a premolar, and $900 to $2,000 or more for a molar treated by an endodontist, before the crown that usually follows.
North DakotaA root canal in North Dakota typically costs $600 to $1,000 for a front tooth, $750 to $1,350 for a premolar, and $900 to $2,050 for a molar, more with an endodontist than a general dentist, before the crown that usually follows.
OhioA root canal in Ohio typically costs $650 to $1,050 for a front tooth, $750 to $1,300 for a premolar, and $950 to $1,650 with a general dentist -- or $1,200 to $2,300 with an endodontist -- for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
OklahomaA root canal in Oklahoma typically costs $600 to $900 for a front tooth and $900 to $1,600 for a molar treated by a general dentist, more with an endodontist, before the separate cost of a crown.
OregonA root canal in Oregon typically costs $700 to $1,150 for a front tooth, $850 to $1,500 for a premolar, and $1,050 to $2,500 for a molar, more with an endodontist than a general dentist, before the crown that usually follows.
PennsylvaniaA root canal in Pennsylvania typically costs $600 to $1,050 for a front tooth, $750 to $1,350 for a premolar, and $950 to $2,300 for a molar, more with an endodontist than a general dentist, before the crown that usually follows.
Rhode IslandA root canal in Rhode Island typically costs $700 to $1,100 for a front tooth, $850 to $1,450 for a premolar, and $1,050 to $2,450 for a molar, depending on whether a general dentist or an endodontist treats it, before the crown that usually follows.
South CarolinaA root canal in South Carolina typically costs $700 to $1,500 with a general dentist, or $1,200 to $2,000 or more with an endodontist for a molar, before the crown that usually follows. Charleston and the Upstate around Greenville tend to price higher than the rural Pee Dee region along I-95.
South DakotaA root canal in South Dakota typically costs $750 to $1,600 with a general dentist, or up to $2,100 with an endodontist for a molar, before the crown that follows.
TennesseeA root canal in Tennessee typically costs $700 to $1,550 with a general dentist, or up to $2,000 with an endodontist for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.
TexasA root canal in Texas typically costs $700 to $1,600 with a general dentist, or up to $2,100 with an endodontist for a molar, before the crown that usually follows. Prices run highest in Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Austin, and lowest in West Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. Texas Medicaid covers a root canal for an adult only as emergency care, and even then within an annual dollar cap.
UtahA root canal in Utah typically costs $700 to $1,550 with a general dentist, or up to $2,000 with an endodontist for a molar, before the crown that usually follows. Utah Medicaid began covering root canals for all enrolled adults only on April 1, 2025; before that date, most adults on Medicaid had no dental benefit at all unless they were pregnant, disabled, or over 65.
VermontA root canal in Vermont typically costs $800 to $1,700 with a general dentist, or up to $2,200 with an endodontist for a molar, before the crown that usually follows. Vermont Medicaid covers root canals on permanent teeth, once per tooth over a lifetime, under an annual benefit cap raised to $1,500 in July 2023, though the state has no dental school of its own to fall back on for reduced-fee care.
VirginiaA root canal in Virginia typically costs $700 to $1,100 for a front tooth and $1,000 to $1,900 for a molar treated by a general dentist, more with an endodontist, before the separate cost of a crown.
WashingtonA root canal in Washington typically costs $750 to $1,200 for a front tooth, $900 to $1,600 for a premolar, and $1,100 to $2,600 for a molar, with an endodontist charging more than a general dentist for the same tooth.
West VirginiaA root canal in West Virginia typically costs $650 to $1,000 for a front tooth and $900 to $1,700 for a molar treated by a general dentist, more with an endodontist, before the separate cost of a crown. The state's mostly rural, lower-cost-of-living market keeps most quotes below the national average, except in the Eastern Panhandle, where prices track the nearby Washington, DC and Baltimore metro area instead.
WisconsinA root canal in Wisconsin typically costs $700 to $1,100 for a front tooth, $800 to $1,400 for a premolar, and $1,000 to $1,700 with a general dentist -- or $1,300 to $2,400 with an endodontist -- for a molar, before the crown that usually follows.

Every figure above is carried across from the state guide it came from, unchanged — the $650 in the Alabama row is Alabama's own published figure. Where a row quotes a national range or median instead of a figure of its own, that is the state page's own wording carried across with it — no state has a state-specific survey figure invented for it here. The sources behind these numbers are listed at the end of this guide 1.

General dentist or endodontist

An endodontist is a specialist in root canal treatment, with a surgical microscope and far more repetitions of difficult anatomy. Fees run higher, and for a molar, a retreatment, or a tooth with unusual anatomy that is often the cheaper decision overall, because a failed first attempt costs the tooth.

The trade-off worth pricing honestly is extraction. Pulling the tooth is cheaper today and expensive later: the gap either stays, and neighboring teeth drift, or it is filled by a bridge or an implant costing multiples of the root canal and crown.

Pricing the tooth, not the procedure

Match your state's row to the tooth you are being treated for, and ask the office for the root canal and the crown as one written total. If you are quoted far above the band, ask whether the tooth is being referred and why — the answer is usually anatomy, and it is usually a good reason.

Related: whether Medicaid covers it in your state · what replacing the tooth would cost instead.

Common questions

It depends entirely on the state's adult dental benefit. Some cover them on front teeth only, some not at all, and some comprehensively. Where a root canal is not covered, the covered path for a badly infected tooth is usually extraction, which is a decision worth making deliberately rather than by default.

Today, yes. Once the gap is replaced with a bridge or an implant, the total is usually several times the cost of the root canal and crown, and leaving the gap unfilled lets neighboring teeth drift into it. Price the whole path, not the appointment in front of you.

More canals, more time, and more difficult anatomy — a molar can have four canals where a front tooth has one, and sometimes an extra hidden one. That is also why molars are more often referred to an endodontist, whose higher fee reflects a microscope and far more repetitions of exactly that problem.

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When Tooth Pain Needs Same-Day Attention

  • Facial swelling that spreads toward the eye or under the jaw, especially with fever
  • A gum bump that drains pus, or a persistent foul taste
  • Pain with trouble opening the mouth, swallowing, or breathing
  • Throbbing pain that wakes you from sleep or does not ease with over-the-counter pain relief

Spreading facial swelling with fever, or any trouble breathing or swallowing, is a medical emergency: call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

This article covers typical root canal costs by state. It is general information, not dental advice; prices and Medicaid rules change, so confirm with a licensed dentist or endodontist and with your own plan.

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References

  1. 1.American Association of Endodontists (2024). Root Canal Treatment. American Association of Endodontists. linkSource carried forward from the state pages consolidated here; it is cited by 49 of them.
  2. 2.Health Resources and Services Administration (2024). Find a Health Center. HRSA. linkSource carried forward from the state pages consolidated here; it is cited by 49 of them.
  3. 3.FAIR Health (2024). FAIR Health Consumer Cost Lookup. FAIR Health (independent nonprofit). linkSource carried forward from the state pages consolidated here; it is cited by 49 of them.
  4. 4.American Association of Endodontists (2024). Root Canal vs Extraction. American Association of Endodontists. linkSource carried forward from the state pages consolidated here; it is cited by 40 of them.
  5. 5.American Dental Association (2024). Abscess. ADA MouthHealthy. linkSource carried forward from the state pages consolidated here; it is cited by 33 of them.
  6. 6.American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute (2024). Coverage, Access & Outcomes. ADA Health Policy Institute. linkSource carried forward from the state pages consolidated here; it is cited by 30 of them.

6 sources, numbered by first appearance. General health information, not medical advice. AI-assisted editorial content — citations link their sources. Editorial policy