Root canal re-treatment in Ireland
Root canal re-treatment in Ireland costs €690 to €1,500, or €552 to €1,200 after 20% Form Med 2 tax relief. An apicectomy (surgical root-end sealing when a canal cannot be reached from above) costs €550 to €950.
Why a tooth treated years ago can flare up again, and how re-treatment compares with extracting the tooth for an implant.
Free, no obligation. One registered dental clinic in your county replies, not five.
Calculate your root canal and tax relief
Pick the tooth, whether you need a crown on top, and whether you are claiming 20% non-routine dental tax relief on Form Med 2 or using a Medical Card.
Estimated cost guide
€552 to €1,200 after 20% relief
Clinic price: €690 to €1,500 · Med 2 refund: €138 to €300
Both root canal treatment (endodontics) and dental crowns qualify for 20% non-routine health expenses tax relief on Form Med 2. On €690 to €1,500 for a root canal re-treatment (root canal only, without a crown) (€690 to €1,500 at the clinic), claiming 20% back in Revenue myAccount brings your net cost to €552 to €1,200. Back premolars and molars usually need a crown afterwards so the tooth does not split.
Ask a local clinic for a priceWhy a previous root canal can flare up years later
A root-treated tooth can develop a new infection months or even ten-plus years after the original treatment for four main reasons:
- A missed canal. Molars often have four canals; if only three were found during the first root canal, bacteria inside the fourth canal can cause an abscess at the root tip.
- Coronal leakage. If the filling or crown on top loosens, cracks or decays, saliva and bacteria seep back down alongside the old root filling.
- Short or unsealed root filling. If a curved or calcified canal could not be cleaned all the way to the root tip first time around.
- A new crack in the root. If the root itself has split vertically, re-treatment will not work and the tooth must be removed.
What happens during a re-treatment
Working under a dental operating microscope, the dentist or endodontist opens through the filling or crown, softens and removes the old rubber root filling (gutta-percha), searches for any untreated canals using ultrasonic tips, disinfects the canal system, and seals it afresh. Where a large metal post blocks the canal, a surgical apicectomy ({r(APIC)}) can clean and seal the very tip of the root through a tiny opening in the gum instead.
What root canal treatment costs in Ireland
Our price guide by tooth, with and without a crown, and what 20% Form Med 2 tax relief takes off.
| Job | Typical cost | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Front tooth (incisor or canine), 1 canal | €390 to €700 | After 20% tax relief: €312 to €560. General dentist or specialist |
| Premolar, 1 to 2 canals | €490 to €800 | After 20% tax relief: €392 to €640. Whether it has one canal or two |
| Molar, 3 to 4 canals | €590 to €1,250 | After 20% tax relief: €472 to €1,000. Specialist with microscope: €900 to €1,250 |
| Root canal re-treatment | €690 to €1,500 | After 20% tax relief: €552 to €1,200. Removing old filling or post |
| Dental crown (zirconia or porcelain) | €800 to €1,200 | After 20% tax relief: €640 to €960. Strongly advised on back chewing teeth |
| Molar root canal + crown, all in | €1,390 to €2,450 | After 20% tax relief: €1,112 to €1,960 |
| Post and core build-up (if needed) | €150 to €300 | Used when too little natural tooth wall remains to hold a crown |
| Consultation and X-ray | €60 to €150 | 3D CBCT scan for complex roots: €120 to €200 |
Get a root canal price from one local clinic
Tap the tooth, where things stand and your county. Your enquiry goes to one Dental Council-registered dental clinic covering your county, and they contact you to arrange an X-ray and a written treatment plan.
Questions patients ask
Is it better to re-treat a root canal or pull the tooth and get an implant?
If the tooth root is not cracked and has good bone support, re-treating the root canal (€690 to €1,500) keeps your natural tooth and is usually less expensive and faster than extraction, bone grafting and a dental implant (€2,000 to €3,000+).
Does root canal re-treatment hurt?
The procedure itself is done under local anaesthetic just like a first root canal. Because the specialist is cleaning out an existing infection at the root tip, two appointments with an antibacterial dressing in between are common.
Need a price or an appointment for a root canal?
One Dental Council-registered clinic covering your county contacts you. Nothing is booked until you have a written treatment plan.