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poppy07 · #61 20.03.2011, 13:06

Hi Captain Greybeard

Just to say: great that you did clarify some important points re root canal treatment which I'm sure was much appreciated all round.
I was already aware of much of what you said but it needed someone to explain it to the forum in the way you did - let's have more of that, especially when it is obvious that so many people are troubled and confused about a certain issue.
Cheers
Poppy
P.S. The Tibetan dog looks cute in your photo !

	Quote:	Captain Greybeard
	I think it's time to make a few things clear. A root canal is not a treatment. It is a normal anatomical feature of every tooth. A tooth has one or several root canals. Incisors and canines normally have only one root canal. Premolars have one or two root canals. Molars can have up to four, rarely even more. What you folks talk about is not a root canal but a root canal treatment. Asking, "How much does a root canal treatment cost?" is about the same as asking, "How much does a car cost?" Are you talking about a Fiat Uno or a Rolls Royce? A simple, straight-forward treatment of a one-canal tooth (1 session, pulp was dead anyway, so no anesthetics needed, no deep infection with pretty resistant bacteria) may be as cheap as CHF 160.00 without the examination, X-rays, filling etc. (Swiss dental tariff). A simple glass-ionomer cement filling will cost around CHF 85.00. The entire procedure may cost 275.00 incl. examination and said filling, an x-ray will add some 18 francs. On the other hand, a complicated root canal treatment of a four-canal tooth with a heavy and very stubborn infection of the deeper parts, needing, say, five sessions, two of them with anesthetics, several x-rays to determine the length of the canals etc., four temporary fillings, but still without the final filling or whatever, may easily set you back CHF 1350.00 or so, in very difficult cases even up to 1700.00, and that without any additional work like screw posts in three canals, core build-up plus crown, which will be somewhere in the 2k range or above, depending on many, many details. So you see, it's totally useless if you ask, "I had a root canal [!], it cost me 750, did I get ripped off?" One of the early posters, years back, suggested to have your teethies examined in Switzerland and then go to Germany with the result. Yeah, sure. First of all, you'll never ever find two dentists, no matter where on this globe, who will find the same things in your mouth. Please don't expect any German dentist to do what the Swiss guy suggested. And then, please know that, if everybody in Switzerland followed that advice, in just a few years you'd have a hard time finding a dentist in Switzerland to take care of your acute tooth troubles. You'd find that practically all dental practices in Switzerland have gone out of business. The reason is very simple: Basic measures such as examination, x-rays, simple fillings, etc., are way too cheap to keep a dentist afloat. The reason why they are so cheap is a political matter. It is meant to make sure that even people who do not know how it feels to drive a Mercedes can afford basic dental care. The dentist has to do other, more profitable work too. A full-ceramic crown is overpaid, so to speak, because it is not a medical necessity but an object of luxury. The difference pays many examinations, x-rays etc.. It's a matter of social thinking and solidarity. Ok, now you may say that in other nations, the same fundamental social objective has been realized in a completely different manner, for instance by using tax money or insurance premiums to pay the dentist. Sounds nice. But honestly, do you like to pay the dental treatment of those who do not brush their teeth?

Captain Greybeard · #62 21.03.2011, 11:11

	Quote:	poppy07
	Hi Captain Greybeard Just to say: great that you did clarify some important points re root canal treatment which I'm sure was much appreciated all round. I was already aware of much of what you said but it needed someone to explain it to the forum in the way you did - let's have more of that, especially when it is obvious that so many people are troubled and confused about a certain issue. Cheers Poppy P.S. The Tibetan dog looks cute in your photo !

Poppy, thank you very much.

Ok, now I'm going off topic, but Dirty Harry is an Old English Sheepdog, which means he was "Old" already as a puppy. The gander was Jacob. He died last year. Harry and Jacob were close friends. Jacob was allowed to peck around in Harry's mouth, and they often wrestled like pros, just for fun. Sometimes it looked like they were going to kill each other, but in many years nothing bad ever happened.

ecb · #63 23.09.2011, 14:39

Captain Greybeard

Having just returned from the first of what I am told will be 3 visits for root canal treatment (a molar), and feeling rather tender (not just in the mouth .. but also about how much its going to cost ..) I was very interested to read your post on this thread.

I knew I was in for quite a bill, but after your informative post, I at least understand what the treatment is all about.

Thanks

angelbutler · #64 05.10.2011, 11:03

Travel to Germany and do it there...costs are cut by a third...and work is just as good. I had a root canal, and it was more then 3 visits...had to do some after procedure visits as well, not sure maybe I had more problems..anyways, costs here are craaaazzzy.

nnnn7674 · #65 20.11.2011, 18:55

Hi,

well the price depends what tooth it is and as well how much canals the tooth have! If it is more at the front then it could cost approx. 500 CHF with a permanent filling to close the hole after rootcanal-treatment. But a totth more back, like molars, are more expensive to treat and could cost up to 1500 CHF depending on how much from toth has to be build up after the root canal treatment.

circe · #66 20.11.2011, 19:46

	Quote:	nnnn7674
	Hi, well the price depends what tooth it is and as well how much canals the tooth have! If it is more at the front then it could cost approx. 500 CHF with a permanent filling to close the hole after rootcanal-treatment. But a totth more back, like molars, are more expensive to treat and could cost up to 1500 CHF depending on how much from toth has to be build up after the root canal treatment.

I can unfortunately confirm this

I've had two of three visits for a root canal of a back molar. 4 roots in total, I'm already up to 1250CHF. However I can say the Swiss dentists are professional, friendly and very attentive to patient comfort.

Captain Greybeard · #67 20.11.2011, 20:17

	Quote:	nnnn7674
	Hi, well the price depends what tooth it is and as well how much canals the tooth have! If it is more at the front then it could cost approx. 500 CHF with a permanent filling to close the hole after rootcanal-treatment. But a totth more back, like molars, are more expensive to treat and could cost up to 1500 CHF depending on how much from toth has to be build up after the root canal treatment.

Wasn't this covered in detail already?

Hint for Newbies: First read, then post, and even that only if necessary. Otherwise you'll attract the ire and malice of the self-anointed guardians of forum etiquette.

Besides that, of course you're right.

randolph · #68 04.12.2011, 17:04

	Quote:	telandy
	Recently I has some work done on some decay that was under some existing fillings. Basically two one hour sessions cost CHF1000, with a root canal I think that you would get of lightly if it was CHF500, more in the direction of CHF1000. It also depends upon how easy the roots are to fill, which they willn't know until they start the proceedure. Germany or overseas would be your best bet. See the BBC report http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3681938.stm

I am presently not living in CH, root canal tretments are a very dedious job, endo.specialists have the needed training and experience..... even here in North America rootcanals start at 1200 Dollar plus the post and crown

roughlytranslated · #69 31.07.2014, 09:37

For what it's worth...

I was very happy to read all of the info provided on EF about dental work in CH, but had to extrapolate what the cost of my work would be now (7-2014) from the older posts.

Thanks to all who posted their experiences and I hope this updated info from my experience will serve people in the future (and present).

I had a root canal treatment on a molar (4-root) and one simple filling on a premolar. I had a total of 3 appointments (90 mins, 45 mins, 30 mins) and included in these appointments, besides the mentioned work, I had a scraping (don't know the tech. term, DE "Zahnfleisch") and polishing and a number of x-rays.

The root canal treatment was finished with a filling (not a crown) but I might have to get a crown in a couple of years.

All in, the bill was 1680 chuffs and I got a toothbrush thrown in at no cost!

Joking aside, I was quite pleased with the procedures and outcome. I live in Zurich (Oerlikon) and the practice was right down the road. The dentist was very nice and the operation was painless (slight discomfort but nothing to make a horror movie from) and quick.

Sure, it was a bit spendy but it was my own fault for waiting so long to get back to the dentist. Honestly, I thought it was going to be more in the end.

I'd be very happy to go back and I would no-doubt recommend him to anybody who's interested. PM me for deets.

Korshka · #70 17.04.2016, 16:20

I am due to have a root canal on Tuesday. Hearing from the dentist that it's going to cost CHF900, I contacted my sister in New Zealand who works in dentistry. She told me that in New Zealand I could expect to pay twice that amount!

So given that it is actually more expensive where I come from, I'm not feeling too bad about parting with CHF1,000 on Tuesday.

Korshka · #71 17.04.2016, 16:33

p.s. medical costs not reimbursed by health insurance can be claimed against your tax return, increasing your tax free allowance. Something to feel happy about when partying with large sums for your root canal?

Captain Greybeard · #72 17.04.2016, 16:37

	Quote:	Korshka
	I am due to have a root canal on Tuesday. Hearing from the dentist that it's going to cost CHF900, I contacted my sister in New Zealand who works in dentistry. She told me that in New Zealand I could expect to pay twice that amount! So given that it is actually more expensive where I come from, I'm not feeling too bad about parting with CHF1,000 on Tuesday.

I must admit I know zilch about dentistry in New Zealand, but I do know that a root canal therapy (a procedure done inside one or several root canals, which are a normal anatomical feature of every tooth!) on the average costs way more in the USA than in Switzerland. I have no idea what causes the difference, as long as the practice is not located right on Times Square.

However, what's "average"?

#73 17.04.2016, 16:41

	Quote:	Captain Greybeard
	I must admit I know zilch about dentistry in New Zealand, but I do know that a root canal therapy (a procedure done inside one or several root canals, which are a normal anatomical feature of every tooth!) on the average costs way more in the USA than in Switzerland. I have no idea what causes the difference, as long as the practice is not located right on Times Square. However, what's "average"?

And for sure, I would not go to a dentist in Times Square. Wouldn't it be a subsidiary of Disney?

Downerbuzz · #74 17.04.2016, 20:53

	Quote:	Korshka
	p.s. medical costs not reimbursed by health insurance can be claimed against your tax return, increasing your tax free allowance. Something to feel happy about when partying with large sums for your root canal?

depending on which canton you're in it has to exceed a certain percentage of your income. In Bern it's 5 %, I believe in Zürich as well but am not completely sure of that.

slammer · #75 18.04.2016, 12:17

I think I am going to go for the full comatose anesthetic, crowbar and pliers option.
Dentists, that is where badass biker Slammer turns into a quivering bowl of jelly.
I simply can´t do it, here is the rub, years and years ago I found out the hard way that the anesthetics did not hit, and no dentist would believe me, syringe in, syringe out, ten minutes of numbness and by the time the dentist arrived all feeling was back, from being a child on all dental treatment has been with "feelings" no wonder I am totally petrified of dentists, right to the point of actually fainting as soon as I smell the stench in a dentists surgery.
And it´s not a case of "oh get over it you big pussy" I can have panic attacks days before the appointment, no wonder I am more than reluctant, however a few years ago something must have changed with the anesthetics, for the first time a visit to the dentist has been relatively ok and without pain, great, only now I can´t afford it and that sucks all around.

roonch_c · #76 20.04.2016, 07:48

I had my wisdom tooth extracted in oerlikon about three four years ago which costed me 330chf.Since the extraction of the wisdom tooth was covered in my insurance,I had to pay only 10% of the total bill.
Next,I had to do a root canal.Here In zurich I was told the bill could go upto around 1200 chf.Since I from India,I chose to do it there.Costed me under 200chf(excluding the airfare

).I got it done some three years ago and till date doing fine with absolutely no problems.

msweeney · #77 05.03.2019, 14:32

	Quote:	Caleb
	I can confirm how outrageously expensive dental treatments are in Switzerland. 10 days ago I had my last wisdom tooth (no easy jokes about that ) pulled. The entire procedure took some 15 minutes max, from the moment the dentist lifted the chair until he removed my "bib". I had to return a week after to have the fill cotton (inside the gum) removed and replaced by self-disolving sponges. That took some 5 minutes. Finally, "since we were already at it" he replaced an old filling that was a bit too sharp. I got the bill yesterday for SFr 330. I must say I'm quite happy with how painless everything was, and that it was under SFr500, which was what I was expecting.

Hiya - any chance I can get their contact details? they sound good.

3Wishes · #78 05.03.2019, 22:00

I've recently had two treatments and can tell you it was eye-watering.

One tooth was a simple replacement of a crown on a tooth that had already had root canal treatment. It was done in one visit and the cost was a bit over 1,000 Francs (ceramic crown).

The other tooth was a root canal treatment with 2 roots requiring 4 visits and a ceramic crown. Total cost was a bit over 2,100 Francs.

The crown alone, called a Cerec-Krone was 895!

Probably should have asked beforehand, but when you're in pain and then doped up you just want them to get it done. Do dentists even do gold crowns any more?

#79 05.03.2019, 22:26

	Quote:	3Wishes
	I've recently had two treatments and can tell you it was eye-watering. One tooth was a simple replacement of a crown on a tooth that had already had root canal treatment. It was done in one visit and the cost was a bit over 1,000 Francs (ceramic crown). The other tooth was a root canal treatment with 2 roots requiring 4 visits and a ceramic crown. Total cost was a bit over 2,100 Francs. The crown alone, called a Cerec-Krone was 895! Probably should have asked beforehand, but when you're in pain and then doped up you just want them to get it done. Do dentists even do gold crowns any more?

For what it is worth, in the US, the costs are more (our home is outside of Philadelphia). A crown is typically USD1500 and root canals often run between USD1200-1500 depending on the tooth and number of canals involved.

I cannot tell you how much money has been spent on my teeth. My husband jokes and tells our kids, "Before you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, ask to see their dental records!" What can I say but I have genetically lousy teeth! I am now on my 4th implant

PS..My husband has never had a cavity...go figure!

msweeney · #80 05.03.2019, 22:31

I costed up the NZ equivalent work of the two root canals I'm going to need and I think it still winds up cheaper here which is crazy.

I'm pretty sick of getting "revolving door" dentists at Universitat Spital for all this work I need following an accident so if anyone can recommend their dentist PM me.