Filling or root canal? How to tell? What’s the cost? These are the questions frequently asked by first-visit patients. Let’s find the answers below.

Many friends may have experienced such a situation: when they visited the dental clinic with cavities, the dentist told them their cavities could only be fixed by root canal rather than tooth filling. At this moment, the patients may wonder: how did the dentist tell whether I need a tooth filling or a root canal? Below is the answer.

How to tell whether a tooth cavity needs a filling or a root canal?

According to the dentists at AKJ Dental Hospital, tooth filling and root canal are both treatment options for cavities. How to choose between depends on the severity of the cavities.

Tooth filling: it is available for small and medium cavities with no pulp (dental nerves) damage. The procedure involves removing the infected dental tissue and replacing with the filling materials. Deep cavities may need a temporary trial filling first before getting the normal filings.

Root canal: fillings cannot be put directly into a seriously decayed tooth with pulpitis, apicitis or pulp necrosis, as the decay has spread to the pulp. A root canal (involving pulling out the infected and dead dental nerves, removing the pain caused by pulpitis and apicitis) is required before tooth filling or post and core crown restoration.

Therefore, the basic standard to tell whether a tooth filling or root canal is needed is: whether there are endodontic lesions (to put it simple, whether the dental nerves are healthy). Not all cavities need root canal treatment, nor can we tell whether a tooth filling or root canal is needed based on the tooth pain. Proper treatment plan should be made according to the patient’s symptoms and radiograph.

What’s the cost of tooth filling and root canal?

The cost of tooth filling ranges from a few hundred yuan to a few thousand yuan, depending on the filling materials. Inlays can cost more (a few thousand yuan), but the treatment outcome is better.

The cost of root canal differs by the location of the tooth. Root canal for front teeth is easy, so the cost is lower, normally around two thousand yuan. Root canal for back teeth is more difficult, and the price may be about three thousand yuan. Moreover, the second time root canal costs more.