DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
Root canal vs extraction: which costs less in the UK?
When a tooth is badly infected you often face a choice: save it with a root canal or take it out. The upfront price is only part of the picture, because an empty gap usually needs replacing later. The real prices below set the two paths side by side so you can weigh the true cost, not just the first bill.
The quick version
- On the NHS in England both a root canal and a tooth extraction are Band 2 treatments at £76.60, so there is no price difference between them at the point of treatment.
- Privately a simple extraction is often cheaper upfront than a root canal, especially on a molar with several canals.
- Removing a tooth leaves a gap that many people fill with an implant, bridge or denture, which can cost more overall than the root canal would have.
- Keeping your own tooth with a root canal avoids the knock-on effects of a gap, such as neighbouring teeth drifting or the bite shifting.
- A root canal quote and an extraction quote are rarely comparing the same end state, so always ask what happens after the treatment finishes.
- The cheapest first bill and the cheapest overall plan are often two different answers, so price the whole journey before you decide on cost alone.
What people actually paid
Where these 16 prices come from — 8 named sources
- nhs.uk
- gov.wales
- mumsnet.com
- dentistryforyou.co.uk
- whitesdental.co.uk
- manchesterdental.co.uk
- thelondondentalcentre.co.uk
- gransnet.com
Each is a published price list, an official survey, or a receipt/quote a reader shared. The full per-price list with year and area is on the root canal page.
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 234% more than the advertised NHS or list price for root canal.
NHS / list prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
Real prices, in people's own words
- £300“just shy of 300 for the root canal and crown”
- £600“it came to 600 all in”
- £750“I paid about £750 for a root canal and crown in Northern Ireland recently”
- £900“I had a canal recently that cost me £900”
- £1,600“Yes I paid £1600 for a private root canal last year”
- £1,600“Just paid £1600 for an extraction, root canal and crown”
Genuine amounts posted publicly. We publish the price and the quote, never the person.
Why the price varies so much
Upfront, a private extraction of a straightforward tooth usually undercuts a root canal, and the root canal gets dearer on back teeth with several canals to clean out. But the comparison flips once you count what comes next. A saved tooth may need a crown, which adds to the root canal total. A removed tooth leaves a space, and replacing it with an implant, bridge or partial denture is often the biggest cost of all. Do nothing about the gap and you may face problems later as teeth shift and the bite changes. On the NHS the two options are priced identically at Band 2, so the decision there rests on clinical grounds rather than money. Privately, price also depends on who is doing the work and where. A practice that is part of a larger dental chain will often have a set price list with less room to move, while an independent, dentist-owned practice may quote more individually and be more open to discussing options. Region matters too: what a practice can charge tends to track local costs and competition, so the same procedure can carry a different price tag depending on which part of the country you are in, even before you get into which specific tooth is involved or whether a specialist endodontist is needed for a difficult root canal.
How to pay less
- On the NHS the choice is cost-neutral, since a root canal and an extraction are both Band 2 at £76.60, so let clinical advice decide rather than price.
- Privately, ask for a full quote that includes the crown after a root canal and the replacement after an extraction, not just the first step.
- Factor in the long-term cost of a gap, because an implant or bridge later can dwarf the saving from a cheaper extraction now.
- Get a second opinion if a tooth is borderline, as a private dentist keen to save it and one keen to remove it may quote very differently.
- If you go private, ask whether the practice is part of a larger dental group or independently run, because pricing structures and how much room there is to negotiate can differ between the two.
- Compare like for like across a few practices in your area, since private prices for the same procedure can vary a fair amount even within the same town, let alone between regions.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to pull a tooth than save it?
Upfront, a simple extraction is often cheaper than a root canal privately, particularly on a molar. On the NHS they cost exactly the same, both being a Band 2 charge of £76.60. The catch is the gap: replacing the missing tooth later with an implant or bridge can cost far more than the root canal would have.
What is the hidden cost of an extraction?
Taking a tooth out leaves a space, and most people eventually want it filled to chew properly and stop the other teeth drifting. An implant, bridge or partial denture all cost money, and an implant in particular can be the most expensive option of the lot. That is why a cheap extraction is not always the cheapest choice overall.
Which is better for the tooth long term?
Where the tooth can be saved, keeping your natural tooth with a root canal is usually the better long-term outcome, because nothing artificial matches a real tooth for function. Extraction makes sense when the tooth is too damaged or infected to rescue. Your dentist will advise which is realistic. Compare the real prices below once you know the plan.
Does it matter which dentist or practice I use for cost?
It can. A larger dental group tends to work off a standard price list, so quotes are consistent but there is little room to negotiate. An independent practice may price more on a case by case basis and be more willing to talk through cheaper options, such as a simpler crown material or staging the work. Ask directly how the practice sets its private fees before you commit.
Will the price be different depending on where I live?
Private dental prices are not fixed nationally, so what you are quoted in one town can differ from another, largely tracking local running costs and how much competition there is nearby. NHS Band 2 pricing, by contrast, is the same wherever you are treated in England. If cost is tight, it is worth getting quotes from more than one practice rather than assuming the first price you see is typical.
Should I pick the cheaper option and deal with the gap later?
Delaying a decision on the gap is rarely free. Neighbouring teeth can drift, your bite can shift, and by the time you do act the options and their costs may have changed. If you are choosing extraction on price, it is worth pricing the replacement at the same time so you are comparing the full cost of each path, not just the first invoice.