For most teeth, yes. Root canal treatment costs around $1,200 for a front tooth, $1,900 for a premolar and $2,500 for a molar, and it keeps a tooth that would otherwise need removing. Extraction costs less on the day, but replacing a missing tooth afterwards usually costs considerably more than the root canal would have.
What You Are Actually Comparing
The decision is rarely “root canal or nothing”. It is “keep this tooth, or remove it and decide what to do with the space”. Set out properly:
- Root canal treatment: around $1,200 to $2,500 depending on the tooth, plus a crown at $2,200 where one is needed to protect it.
- Extraction: less on the day, but it leaves a gap.
- Replacing the tooth: a dental implant or bridge, which costs more than the root canal and crown together.
Leaving the gap is an option for some back teeth, but it has consequences: neighbouring teeth drift into the space, the opposing tooth can over-erupt, and chewing changes.
Reasons to Keep the Tooth
Nothing functions quite like a natural tooth. It sits in bone with a ligament that senses pressure, which is why natural teeth feel different to chew on than replacements.
It preserves the bone. The jawbone around a tooth is maintained by the tooth being there. After extraction, that bone gradually resorbs.
It is usually quicker. Root canal treatment is often finished in one or two visits. Implant treatment runs over months.
It keeps your options open. A treated tooth that fails years later can still be extracted and replaced. The reverse is not true.
When Extraction Is the Better Call
Sometimes a tooth genuinely cannot be saved: severe fracture below the gum line, very little healthy tooth structure remaining, or advanced gum disease affecting its support. Treating a tooth with a poor outlook is not in your interest, and we will tell you plainly when that is the situation rather than spending your money on a tooth that will not last.
How Long Does a Treated Tooth Last?
A well-treated tooth, properly restored, can last many years and often for life. The two things that matter most are protecting it with a crown where recommended, and keeping up regular check-ups so anything developing is caught early.
Does Health Insurance Change the Maths?
It can. Root canal treatment usually falls under major dental and many policies contribute, as do crowns, though annual limits may mean staging treatment across two calendar years. We give you the item numbers so you can check your rebate before deciding.
Getting a Straight Answer for Your Tooth
The right decision depends on how much healthy tooth remains, the state of the root and the bone around it, and how the tooth sits in your bite. We will assess it, explain what we see, and set out both options with real costs before you decide.
Book an appointment, or call (02) 8252 7677. See our root canal treatment page for what is involved, and our root canal cost guide for the full fee breakdown.
