Root Canal Treatment

Privately, typically £250–£700 — front teeth (one canal) at the lower end, molars (three or four canals) at the top, and specialist endodontists charging more for complex cases and retreatments. On the NHS it's Band 2: £76.60 in England, regardless of which tooth. Remember a back tooth usually needs a crown afterwards, which is costed separately.

Yes — it's core Band 2 treatment (£76.60 in England) at any practice doing NHS work, and access to an NHS dentist is usually the only barrier. If your NHS dentist refers a complex case to a specialist, check whether the referral is NHS or private before going ahead, as specialist fees are significantly higher.

The procedure is done under local anaesthetic and for most patients feels similar to having a large filling — long, but not painful. It treats the source of toothache, so most people feel dramatically better afterwards. Some tenderness for a few days is normal; severe or worsening pain after treatment isn't, so contact your dentist if that happens.

Keeping your own tooth is usually the better long-term outcome where the tooth is restorable — extraction is cheaper up front (£100–£350 privately, Band 2 on the NHS) but leaves a gap that may later need a bridge, denture or implant costing far more. It's a case-by-case clinical decision: ask the dentist for the prognosis of the treated tooth before choosing.

Around 85–95% of first-time treatments succeed and the tooth can last a lifetime with a good restoration on top. If an infection returns, options include retreatment or a small surgical procedure (apicectomy), often via a specialist. Crowning a root-treated back tooth promptly is one of the biggest factors in long-term success.

Root-treated back teeth become brittle and are heavily hollowed by the treatment, so they're prone to cracking under chewing forces. A crown (or onlay) protects against fracture — studies show root-treated molars with crowns survive far longer than those without. Front teeth often manage with just a filling.