How much does a root canal cost in India?
Short answer: Root canal treatment starts from Rs 3,000 in India. Almost every root-treated back tooth then needs a crown to stop it fracturing, and that is quoted separately: Rs 5,000 for metal, Rs 8,000 for zirconia, Rs 15,000 for E.max. So a realistic all-in figure for a molar is Rs 8,000 to Rs 18,000, against $680–$1,600 privately in the UK or $700–$1,600 in the US.
Indicative costs at our Vaishali, Ghaziabad clinic. The final figure is confirmed only after Dr. Bandhavi (MDS, Endodontics) examines you.
Root canal and crown cost in India (2026)
| Item | Indicative cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Root canal treatment | From Rs 3,000 | Front teeth are usually simpler than molars |
| Metal crown afterwards | Rs 5,000 | Strongest, but visibly metallic |
| Zirconia crown afterwards | Rs 8,000 | The usual choice for molars |
| E.max crown afterwards | Rs 15,000 | For front teeth in the smile line |
| Post and core build-up | Quoted after assessment | Needed when little tooth structure remains |
| Re-treatment of a failed root canal | Quoted after X-ray | More complex than a first-time root canal |
Does a root canal hurt?
No more than having a filling. The tooth is fully anaesthetised, and most of the pain patients associate with root canals is the infection they arrived with, which the treatment removes. Dr. Bandhavi holds an MDS in Endodontics — root canal treatment is the specialty itself, not a general procedure — and most cases are finished in a single sitting. Expect mild tenderness on biting for two or three days afterwards.
Why the crown is not optional
A root-treated tooth is hollow and brittle: the blood supply is gone and the access cavity has removed the roof. Left uncrowned, back teeth crack under chewing load, often below the gum, and then cannot be saved at all — turning a Rs 8,000 problem into a Rs 30,000 implant. Front teeth with small access cavities can sometimes be restored with a filling instead. See the full crown cost guide.
What a root canal costs in India
Root canal treatment is priced per tooth, not per mouth, and the single biggest variable is which tooth is being treated. A front incisor has one canal and is straightforward. A lower molar has three or four narrow, curved canals, takes considerably longer and demands more skill — so it costs more. Any price list that quotes one flat number for “a root canal” is hiding that difference.
Every figure on this page is an indicative cost for patients treated at our Vaishali, Ghaziabad clinic and reflects typical Delhi-NCR pricing. Your final cost is confirmed only after Dr. Bandhavi examines you and reviews your X-rays — the tooth involved, the number of canals, and whether infection has spread all move the price.
Back teeth cost more because they have more canals; see our local breakdown of molar root canal cost in Ghaziabad, crown included.
What actually drives the price up or down
Beyond the tooth itself, four things move a root canal quote. The number of canals is the main one. Whether the tooth is infected matters too — an abscessed tooth may need an extra visit with medication placed inside before it can be sealed. Re-treatment of a root canal that has already failed costs more than a first-time treatment, because the previous filling has to be dissolved and removed before the real work can start. And a tooth that has lost a lot of structure may need a post and core built inside it to hold the crown, which is a separate step.
What does not justify a higher price is the marketing around it. Single-sitting root canals, rotary instruments and apex locators are standard equipment at any competent clinic now, not premium add-ons. If a quote is loaded with technology surcharges, ask what the base fee actually covers.
The cost people forget: the crown
A root-treated tooth is a dead tooth. It no longer has a blood supply, it becomes brittle over the following years, and a back tooth that chews without a crown has a real chance of splitting — at which point it usually cannot be saved and you are into extraction and replacement territory, which costs far more than the crown would have. For molars and premolars, treat the crown as part of the treatment, not an optional extra.
When comparing two quotes, ask what the tooth costs start to finish: root canal, post and core if needed, and the crown. A clinic quoting ₹3,000 for the root canal alone and a clinic quoting ₹11,000 all-in may be offering exactly the same treatment at the same price.
A realistic total for a molar
Is a root canal worth it, or should you just extract?
Extraction is always cheaper on the day, at roughly ₹3,000–₹5,000. But an empty space is not a neutral outcome: the neighbouring teeth drift, the opposing tooth over-erupts, and the jawbone in that spot starts to shrink. Replacing the tooth later with an implant costs ₹30,000 including the crown, or a bridge means cutting down two healthy teeth either side. Measured over a decade, saving your own tooth is almost always both the cheaper and the better outcome — provided the tooth is restorable, which is exactly what the X-ray tells you.
How to compare two root canal quotes
Ask four questions and the picture clears up quickly. Which tooth is it and how many canals does it have? Is the crown included in the number you have quoted? Will the treatment need one visit or two, and is the second visit charged separately? And who is doing it — a general dentist or an endodontist, which matters most on molars and re-treatments. Get those in writing and the cheapest quote often stops being the cheapest.
After your treatment: root canal aftercare and recovery, day by day.
Flying from Canada? root canal and crown cost: India vs Canada.
Flying from Australia? root canal and crown cost: India vs Australia.
Based in the UAE? root canal and crown cost: India vs the UAE.
If a treated tooth hurts again: what happens if a root canal fails and needs retreatment.
Getting it done in Delhi-NCR: painless root canal treatment at our Vaishali clinic.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a root canal cost in India?
Root canal treatment starts from about ₹3,000 per tooth for a single-canal front tooth and runs to roughly ₹6,000–₹9,000 for a molar with three or four canals. Re-treatment of a failed root canal costs more, around ₹8,000–₹12,000. Most back teeth also need a crown afterwards, adding ₹5,000 for metal or ₹8,000 for zirconia.
Why does a molar root canal cost more than a front tooth?
A front tooth usually has one straight canal. A molar has three or four canals that are narrow and often curved, so the treatment takes significantly longer and requires more skill and more instruments. You are paying for chair time and complexity, not a different quality of treatment.
Do I really need a crown after a root canal?
On a molar or premolar, almost always. The tooth no longer has a blood supply and becomes brittle, and a back tooth takes heavy chewing forces. Without a crown there is a genuine risk it splits, and a split tooth usually cannot be saved. Some front teeth with minimal damage can be restored with a filling instead.
Is a cheap root canal safe?
Price alone does not tell you. What matters is whether the canals are fully cleaned, shaped and sealed to the tip of the root, and whether the tooth is properly restored afterwards. A very low quote that excludes the crown is not cheap, it is incomplete. Ask what is included before comparing.
How long does a root canal last?
A well-done root canal with a properly fitted crown commonly lasts 10–15 years and often much longer. The most common reason for failure is not the root canal itself but the tooth fracturing because it was never crowned, or new decay getting in underneath an old restoration.
Is it cheaper to extract the tooth instead?
On the day, yes — extraction is roughly ₹3,000–₹5,000 against ₹6,000–₹9,000 for a molar root canal. But replacing the missing tooth later costs far more: an implant is ₹30,000 including the crown. If the tooth can be saved, saving it is usually the cheaper decision over ten years.
Does a root canal hurt?
The treatment itself is done under local anaesthetic and most patients say it feels much like having a deep filling. The pain people associate with root canals is usually the infection beforehand, which the treatment relieves. Mild tenderness for a few days afterwards is normal.
Dr. Bandhavi’s complete root canal & crown guide covers symptoms, home remedies, the procedure, crown types, and honest Vaishali/Ghaziabad pricing in one place.
Explore treatments at Tooth Simplified
Led by Dr. Bandhavi, MDS (Endodontics) — painless, affordable care for local Delhi-NCR patients and international visitors.
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