What you need to know about getting a root canal

A root canal can relieve tooth pain, treat an infection and even save a tooth. Here’s what to know.

If you go to the dentist and they tell you that you need a root canal, don’t panic. It’s a common dental procedure, and it can make your mouth feel a lot better in the long run.

Thanks to modern dentistry, root canals aren’t that painful, and they can reduce tooth pain caused by infection and/or inflammation inside a tooth.

There’s a soft layer inside your teeth called pulp. It contains nerves that can sense pain if the pulp becomes infected and/or inflamed. A root canal treats the infection, helps relieve pain and might even save the tooth.

Below, learn more about what goes into getting a root canal — and how dental insurance might cover it.

Interested in exploring stand-alone dental insurance? Call a licensed insurance agent at (800) 827-9990 to talk about plans, or browse your options online today.

What is a root canal?

Either general dentists or endodontists can perform a root canal. (An endodontist is a type of dentist who specializes in issues inside the teeth.)

A root canal has 2 phases:

1. Treatment: “We remove the tissue that’s on the inside of the tooth, usually because it’s either inflamed or infected or both,” says Natasha M. Flake, DDS, PhD, MSD, who is the president of the American Association of Endodontists. “Then we disinfect the inside of the tooth and fill the inside of the tooth so that the patient can keep their natural tooth.” (Dr. Flake is also a professor of Endodontics at the University of Washington School of Dentistry in Seattle, Washington.)
2. Restoration: The dentist or endodontist restores the tooth to full function and protects it from getting infected again by placing a crown (tooth-shaped cap that encircles a tooth) or filling on the top of the tooth. “It depends on how much of the tooth structure is missing,” says Dr. Flake. “If a lot of it is missing, then we will recommend a crown. Whereas if just a little bit of tooth structure is missing, a filling might be OK.” Teeth that are needed more for chewing, like molars, generally require crowns.

A root canal usually takes 1 or 2 visits to complete, depending on factors such as complexity. “For example, if a patient has active swelling, we would typically complete the root canal over 2 visits, so that swelling could resolve in between visits,” says Dr. Flake.

What causes and symptoms might lead you to have a root canal?

Infected or inflamed pulp inside a tooth typically happens because of 3 conditions:

1. Tooth decay
2. A cracked tooth
3. Tooth trauma, such as being hit in the mouth with a ball or elbow

“The most common reason is tooth decay,” says Dr. Flake. This is more common when decay results in a cavity that’s close to the center of the tooth or one that’s untreated and gets deeper over time. It’s also possible for decay to happen again under an existing filling.

Symptoms that may indicate you might need a root canal include:

• Bump on the gum that looks like a pimple
• Gum swelling
• Pain due to temperature sensitivity
• Pain while biting or chewing

While pain is the most common symptom, not everyone experiences it. “Sometimes people may even have swelling, and they’re not really in a lot of pain,” says Dr. Flake.

Find out if a stand-alone dental plan might cover a procedure like a root canal. Call a licensed insurance agent at (800) 827-9990 to talk about plans, or browse your options online today.

Is a root canal painful?

Typically, a dentist or endodontist provides you with local anesthesia during a root canal to numb the tooth and keep you comfortable. (That’s a type of medicine that temporarily numbs a specific area of the body.)

“The root canal procedure itself is not painful when performed by an endodontist, who’s a specialist in root canal therapy,” says Dr. Flake. “Endodontists have advanced techniques for managing pain during treatment and use the most modern techniques in order to make the root canal procedure as comfortable as possible for the patient.”

You may experience soreness, sensitivity to chewing, swelling or inflammation for a few days after the procedure. “It often depends on how much pain the patient was in when they came in,” says Dr. Flake. “If they were in a lot of pain, then they may be more likely to have a little bit afterward.”

Dentists typically recommend you use over-the-counter medication, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, for post-procedure pain.

What might a root canal cost you?

The cost of a root canal depends on several factors. These include:

• How complex the root canal turns out to be
• Location of provider (for example, urban or rural, and region of country)
• Type of provider (an endodontist is generally more expensive than a general dentist)
• Type of tooth that is infected and/or inflamed (molar, premolar or front tooth)

If you have dental insurance, check your policy to see what might be covered. A dentist or endodontist may charge for:

• An exam and X-rays to diagnose the problem
• The root canal procedure
• The restoration (crown or filling)

Depending on your plan, the exam and X-rays may be covered as preventive services. If the restoration is a simple filling, it may be covered as a basic service.

But some insurance companies may consider root canals and crowns major services. A dental plan may not cover major services like these.

If your dental plan does cover major services, the total cost of a root canal and restoration with insurance depends on your out-of-pocket costs. These may include:

• Your deductible, or the amount you pay for covered dental services before your insurance starts to pay. There’s often an individual deductible and a higher family deductible.
• Your copayment (copay), or set amount you pay for covered dental services. That could be something like $25 for an exam.
• Your coinsurance, or the percentage you pay for covered dental services. That could be 30% to 50% of a major service, such as a root canal or crown.
• Your maximum benefit, or an annual cap on the amount of coverage or a limit on the number of certain types of procedures, such as multiple root canals, that you can get during a plan year

The plan may also have requirements for coverage, such as preauthorization. That’s when a dentist needs to get prior approval from an insurance company to do a dental procedure, like a root canal.

Have more questions about stand-alone dental insurance? Call a licensed insurance agent at (800) 827-9990, or browse your options online today.

Disclaimer:
For informational purposes only. This information is compiled by HealthMarkets Insurance Agency and does not diagnose problems or recommend specific treatment. Services and medical technologies referenced herein may not be covered under your plan. Please consult directly with your primary care physician if you need medical advice.