7,313
Endodontists
100%
Accepting patients
51%
Most common: DDS
FindClarity lists 7,313 endodontists nationwide. 100% are currently accepting new patients. The most common credential is DDS (51%).
Endodontists specialize in treating problems inside the tooth, specifically the dental pulp and the nerves running through it. They are best known for performing root canals, which save teeth that would otherwise need extraction.
After dental school, endodontists complete two to three years of additional residency training. They use microscopes and advanced imaging to work inside the intricate canal system of a tooth. Because they perform root canals routinely (often 25 or more per week), they develop a level of speed and precision that general dentists typically cannot match.
If you have been told you need a root canal, an endodontist is the specialist most qualified to handle it, especially for teeth with unusual anatomy or retreatment of a previously treated tooth.
See an endodontist for persistent tooth pain, sensitivity to heat that lingers, a darkened tooth, swelling or tenderness near a tooth, or pain when biting down. Your general dentist may refer you if a tooth needs root canal therapy, especially for molars or teeth with complicated root structures.
The endodontist will take X-rays (possibly a 3D scan) and test the tooth's vitality with cold or electric stimulation. They will explain whether a root canal can save the tooth and what the procedure involves. The root canal itself is typically completed in one visit lasting 60 to 90 minutes under local anesthesia.
Root canal (front tooth): $600-900 · Root canal (molar): $900-1,400 · Retreatment: $900-1,600
Modern root canals are not the ordeal they used to be. The area is numbed with local anesthesia, and most patients compare the experience to getting a filling. You may feel some soreness for a day or two afterward, but severe pain is uncommon. The root canal relieves the infection causing your pain, not the other way around.
A properly treated tooth can last a lifetime with good oral care. The key is getting a crown placed on the tooth promptly after the root canal, since the tooth becomes more brittle without its living pulp. Regular dental checkups help catch any issues early.
Extraction is always an option, but saving your natural tooth is usually better. A missing tooth needs to be replaced with an implant or bridge to prevent neighboring teeth from shifting. Root canal treatment followed by a crown is often less expensive and less invasive than extraction plus replacement.
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Root canals are generally covered under dental insurance as a major procedure, typically at 50-80% of the allowed amount. A front tooth root canal costs less than a molar. Your plan may require prior authorization. You will still need a crown from your general dentist afterward, which is billed separately.