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.
- Privately a simple extraction is often cheaper upfront than a root canal, especially on a molar.
- Removing a tooth leaves a gap that many people fill with an implant, bridge or denture, which can cost more 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.
What people actually paid
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. 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. On the NHS the two options are priced identically at Band 2, so the decision there rests on clinical grounds rather than money.
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 decide on clinical advice.
- 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.
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.