Endodontist Root Canal

It has nothing to do with inflation, the other poster’s root canal was done by a Dentist, you were quoted for treatment by a specialist Endodontist. You weren’t told it was difficult by the Endodontist, but you were told it would need a specialist referral by your Dentist, because it is difficult.

Endodontists, like other service providers set their fees based on costs, time, skill set, experience etc. The price you were quoted is likely the flat fee charged for treatment of that type of tooth. And is pretty much what Endodontists charge, you will have to consider paying for the specialist treatment, looking for a less expensive alternative provider but with the risk of a reduced prognosis (€800 may be cheaper for treatment, but it will be money gone if the treatment fails, your Dentist’s records will record that you were advised/referred to a Specialist to have it treated), or, you can consider alternative treatment options.

That is around the going rate, all Endodontists do not charge the same for the same treatment as that may lead to an accusation of cartelling. But God bless Mary Harney, she made it a legal requirement for Dentists to display prices, which most now do on websites, so it is very simple for both patients, and practitioners to see what the going rate is by spending a few minutes online.

Root canal treatment involves removal of the centre part of the tooth leaving it weaker after the root canal than it was before. This leaves the tooth more susceptible to fracture after a root canal if it is just restored with a filling. A crown is advisable to protect the tooth from fracture.

The endodontist hasn’t seen you yet, the Dentist doesn’t yet know how much of the tooth will remain after the root canal is completed and whether a crown will be necessary. Though certainly the possibility/advice to have one should have been discussed.

Kaisr, typically the Endodontist advises when discussing the treatment with you whether a filling/crown is indicated. It will be up to you to decide if you want a crown. A root canal treatment attends to the pain/infection, a crown on the other hand attends to the structure of the tooth.

On re-reading your op, I unfortunately missed the part where you said you had emergency treatment on it and the infection treated. This suggests your dentist has done the first stage of the root canal treatment and removed the nerves before placing a temporary filling, is this correct? If so, that is the first stage/visit of the root canal treatment and the Dentist would have been able to asses how difficult a root filling it is, whether it needs a Specialist to complete it, and also explains why there is only one visit with the Endodontist. The root canal is being done in two visits, the first was with your own Dentist on emergency.

As a dentist, I agree root canal with an Endodontist can be prohibitively expensive, I wish they were cheaper, but unfortunately they aren’t and these guys are booked up for months, so they obviously have patients willing to pay it. A root canal, even when done by a Specialist is still considerably cheaper and less invasive than an implant, so if you can hold onto your tooth, you should strongly consider it. A Dentist may be able to do it cheaper, maybe even nearly as good a job as an Endodontist, but it will not be done to the same standard and you may have to wait years to find out the difference, or it may happen straight away. If a root canaled tooth lasts for example 10 years, how many take aways, or haircuts would you have during that period?

When it comes down to it, no one can force you to have the treatment, or to pay for the highest standard of treatment you can get, you may decide to lose the tooth or have a less qualified person do it, I’ve had a couple of these myself unfortunately, and even though I have colleagues to are very good at doing root canals, mine have been done by an Endodontist.

You understand that there is a distinction between a General Dentist and a Specialist in a particular discipline of dentistry? It would be inconceivable that after four additional years of post graduate study, that there wouldn’t be a higher skill level in endodontics, what would be the point of post graduate studies/Specialist registers if there wasn’t?. If I can use an analogy which may make it simpler for you to understand, if you have a heart condition, just because you see a cardiologist isn’t a reflection on the ability of your GP.

Incidentally, an orthodontist straightens teeth, and the gender/colour/religion of the dentist has no bearing on their ability.

This is correct, teeth which need root canal treatments are inherently compromised, they wouldn’t need root canal treatment if there weren’t. After the RCT is completed, the teeth should have a crown placed over it to protect it (and your investment). The core is a platform, which usually involves placing posts in the canals of the tooth to a depth of at least 5mm, and which will support/retain the crown.

Some choose not to have crowns placed on teeth after RCT, but if the tooth later cracks, that’s when people realise the importance of the crown, and wish they had followed their Dentist/Endodontist advice to get one.

I’m going to correct you because you are mistaken , whether it can be finished in one appointment or two depends on the symptoms and condition of the tooth/pathology.

Experience of your posts on other threads leads me to conclude you cannot be helped with any meaningful explanation. Suffice to say, you will be advised by the clinician what is the best course of action for you, not for anyone else.

Stop asking for clinical analysis and advice for what you need, whatever advice is offered by others is based on experience of their circumstances, not yours.