You shouldn't have to call three offices to find out what a root canal costs. Here are the real out-of-pocket ranges for San Jose patients at our Sunnyvale office — by tooth type, by CDT code, with and without PPO insurance.
The ranges below reflect typical patient out-of-pocket at our office after PPO benefits, and our self-pay fee. See what each CDT code means →
| Procedure | With PPO | Without insurance |
|---|---|---|
Front tooth (anterior) — D3310 Single canal, simplest RCT | $200–$650 | $1,150–$1,500 |
Premolar — D3320 One or two canals | $250–$750 | $1,350–$1,700 |
Molar — D3330 Three to four canals; most common | $400–$1,200 | $1,700–$2,200 |
Retreatment (molar) — D3348 Redoing a previous root canal | $500–$1,400 | $1,950–$2,500 |
Apicoectomy (microsurgery) — D3425 Root-end surgery for failed RCT | $500–$1,500 | $2,100–$2,800 |
What's included in our fee
All root canal fees include: clinical examination, all diagnostic X-rays, CBCT scan if clinically indicated, the full root canal procedure under microscope, working-length apex locator, rubber dam isolation, temporary filling, and post-op call within 48 hours. Not included: the final crown or filling (your general dentist places that under separate codes — D2740/D2950/D2954).Most San Jose employers offer Delta Dental, Cigna, MetLife, Aetna, Guardian, or United Concordia PPO plans. We're out-of-network with all PPOs but file claims on your behalf as a courtesy:
Easiest path
Email a photo of the front and back of your insurance card to siliconvalleyendo@gmail.com — we'll verify benefits and email you back a personalized estimate before your visit.Out-of-pocket cost depends on the tooth, your insurance plan, and whether retreatment or microsurgery is needed. With a major Bay Area PPO, patient share at our office typically runs $200–$1,400 for first-time root canal treatment. We file with all major PPOs as a courtesy and give you a written estimate before any treatment.
For straightforward front-tooth root canals, a general dentist can deliver excellent results. For molars, retreatments, calcified canals, or anything where 2D X-rays leave questions unanswered, the AAE recommends referral to an endodontist — and the fee difference is usually modest. The bigger cost to consider is having to redo a root canal a few years later. Large outcome reviews (Ng et al., Int Endod J 2010, 2011) consistently identify specialist operator status, use of rubber dam isolation, and absence of pre-operative apical pathology as factors associated with higher long-term tooth-survival rates after root canal treatment.
Most San Jose-area employers offer Delta Dental, Cigna, MetLife, Aetna, Guardian, or United Concordia PPO plans. We're out-of-network with all PPOs but file claims on your behalf. Email a photo of your insurance card to siliconvalleyendo@gmail.com and we'll verify benefits before your visit.
No — we have a single Sunnyvale office that serves the entire South Bay including San Jose, and we charge the same fees regardless of which city you live in. San Jose patients typically drive 15–25 minutes depending on neighborhood; we offer Saturday hours and validate parking.
We offer CareCredit (often 0% APR for 6–12 months), accept HSA/FSA, and can split treatment across two benefit years to maximize annual insurance maximums. We never want cost to be the reason someone loses a tooth — call (669) 234-2354 to talk through options.
Molars typically have 3–4 canals (sometimes more, including the MB2 canal in upper molars), take roughly twice as long to treat, and require advanced anatomy mapping with microscope and CBCT. The CDT code (D3330) and insurance fee schedules reflect that complexity.
Pricing ranges reflect typical patient out-of-pocket at our Sunnyvale office. Your specific cost depends on your plan, deductible, annual maximum, and clinical factors. Final fees are always confirmed in writing before treatment.
Send us your tooth number and a recent X-ray. We'll quote you over the phone — no appointment needed.