How much does a root canal cost in the UK? (2026 price guide)
A root canal in the UK typically costs £546, ranging from £150 to £1,750 across the 420 clinics we track. The big lever is which tooth: a simple front tooth sits at the low end, a stubborn back molar at the top. And you’ll usually need a crown afterwards too – so the sticker price rarely tells the whole story. Here’s the full breakdown (and why it’s nowhere near the horror show its reputation suggests).
What is a root canal?
It clears the infection out of a tooth so it can be saved instead of yanked out. And despite the reputation, modern anaesthetic means it usually feels a lot like a filling – it kills the pain of the infection, it doesn’t cause it. The genuinely scary part is the price tag, which is exactly what we’re here to sort out.
How much does a root canal cost?
Across the UK it runs from £150 to £1,750, with a typical price of £546. What decides where you land? How many canals the tooth has to clean out:
- Front tooth (incisor) – one canal. The easy one, the cheap one.
- Premolar – one or two canals. Middle of the pack.
- Molar – three or more canals. The fiddly one, and the top of the price range.
Trickier molars often get handed to a specialist (an endodontist). Costs more, sure – but for an awkward tooth it can be money well spent.
You’ll probably need a crown too
After a root canal – especially on a back tooth – the tooth gets brittle, so a dental crown usually goes on top to protect it. This is where quotes get sneaky: always ask for the root canal plus crown total. Quote you just the root canal on its own, and a tidy-looking price quietly balloons.
Does where you live change the price?
Yep – sometimes by hundreds of pounds, for the exact same treatment. The cheapest city we currently track is Glasgow (from £150). Have a look at real prices from clinics near you:
| City | From | Typical | Clinics | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £200 | £602.50 | 153 | Compare |
| Manchester | £300 | £536.50 | 28 | Compare |
| Birmingham | £259 | £475 | 21 | Compare |
| Liverpool | £350 | £495 | 15 | Compare |
| Edinburgh | £270 | £412.50 | 14 | Compare |
| Glasgow | £150 | £307.80 | 14 | Compare |
| Bristol | £355.30 | £450 | 13 | Compare |
| Ipswich | £350 | £600 | 11 | Compare |
| Leicester | £250 | £436 | 11 | Compare |
| Cardiff | £280 | £415 | 10 | Compare |
| Cambridge | £350 | £675 | 9 | Compare |
| Leeds | £330 | £595 | 9 | Compare |
| Milton Keynes | £349 | £675 | 9 | Compare |
| Nottingham | £413 | £550 | 9 | Compare |
| Plymouth | £350 | £600 | 9 | Compare |
| Derby | £350 | £529 | 8 | Compare |
| Norwich | £375 | £519 | 8 | Compare |
| Reading | £350 | £610 | 8 | Compare |
| Southampton | £250 | £483.50 | 8 | Compare |
| Swansea | £240 | £345 | 7 | Compare |
| Wolverhampton | £450 | £550 | 7 | Compare |
| Bournemouth | £425 | £657 | 6 | Compare |
| Luton | £220 | £546 | 5 | Compare |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | £220 | £480 | 5 | Compare |
| Sheffield | £450 | £644 | 5 | Compare |
| Coventry | £254 | £475 | 4 | Compare |
| Hull | £300 | £420 | 4 | Compare |
| Oxford | £380 | £472.50 | 4 | Compare |
| Stoke-on-Trent | £425 | £493.75 | 4 | Compare |
| Portsmouth | £350 | £600 | 3 | Compare |
Live data from TreatmentCosts - updated automatically as clinics change their prices.
Private vs NHS
On the NHS in England a root canal is one fixed band charge – and free if you’re exempt. The catch: NHS slots can be thin on the ground, complex molars may get referred on, and the crown you’ll likely need after is a separate, pricier band. Private costs more, but you usually get seen quicker and, for a tricky tooth, faster access to a specialist. Same tooth, two very different routes.
Root canal vs taking the tooth out
The other option is an extraction – cheaper today, but that’s the trap. Lose the tooth and you’ll usually pay more later to fill the gap (a bridge or an implant). Keeping your own tooth with a root canal is normally the better long-term deal, as the live comparison shows:
| Metric | Root canal treatment | Tooth extraction |
|---|---|---|
| From | £150 | £65 |
| Typical | £546 | £180 |
| Range | £150–£1,750 | £65–£700 |
| Clinics pricing it | 420 | 413 |
| Links | Compare clinics | Compare clinics |
Live data from TreatmentCosts - updated automatically as clinics change their prices.
| Feature | Root canal (save it) | Extraction (remove it) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Higher | Lower |
| Keeps your natural tooth | Yes | No |
| Cost later | Usually just a crown | A bridge or implant to fill the gap |
| Long-term value | Usually better | Cheaper now, often dearer overall |
How to avoid overpaying
- Get the root canal plus crown total – not the half-quote that leaves out the bit you’ll need.
- Ask whether a specialist is really needed for that complex molar.
- Compare a few clinics – the gap between the cheapest and dearest we track is £1,600, for the same tooth.
- Don’t sit on it – an untreated infected tooth only gets pricier (and can end in an extraction anyway).
- Look just outside the city centre – same care, smaller bill.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a root canal cost in the UK?
Usually £150–£1,750 privately, with a typical price of £546. Where you land comes down to the tooth – front teeth are cheapest, molars the priciest.
Why are molar root canals more expensive?
More canals, more work. Molars are fiddlier and often need a specialist, so they cost more than a simple single-canal front tooth.
Do I need a crown after a root canal?
Usually yes – especially on back teeth – to keep the tooth from cracking. Check crown costs, and always ask for the combined price, not just the root canal on its own.
Is a root canal cheaper than an extraction?
An extraction wins on day one. But replacing the missing tooth later – a bridge or implant – often costs far more, so saving the tooth is usually the smarter money.
Does a root canal hurt?
With modern anaesthetic it’s usually about as dramatic as a filling. It takes away the pain of the infection rather than adding any. The bit that stings is mostly the bill.
Ready to compare? See root canal prices by clinic, or browse every UK clinic we track for upfront pricing near you.
