An inflamed or infected nerve is what an emergency root canal fixes, and our 4500 South office in Salt Lake City can stop that pain while keeping the tooth. One call to (385) 480-0270 reserves a same-day time. The root canal is done by our own dentists, often beginning at that first visit. Call ahead; walk-ins aren't accepted.
The $99 emergency exam fee is for patients paying without insurance. It covers a limited, problem-focused emergency exam and the X-ray needed to diagnose the tooth. Treatment is priced separately and quoted to you in writing before any work starts.
Both the diagnosis and the root canal happen under this roof.
Same-day appointments · $99 exam + X-ray · Phones answered 24/7 · In network with four major plans
Signs you need an emergency root canal today
Heat is the classic giveaway. A tooth that aches long after hot coffee, or hurts more when you lie down, usually has a nerve inflamed past recovery. Pain that starts on its own, with nothing touching the tooth, points the same way.
Other signs show up around the tooth. The gum near the root may swell or develop a small bump that drains. The tooth may darken. Sometimes a tooth that hurt for weeks suddenly goes quiet, which can mean the nerve has died rather than healed; the infection is still there.
A hospital comes before us when swelling pushes toward the eye or down the neck, when there's a fever, or when swallowing or breathing is difficult. St. Mark's Hospital is on 1200 East near 3900 South, about 2 miles northeast of our office. Hospitals treat spreading infection; they generally don't treat the tooth itself. Call us for the root canal once you're stable.
What happens at your same-day visit
Reading the X-ray comes before anything else. It shows the roots and whether there's a dark spot at the tip where infection has collected. Cold and tapping tests confirm which tooth is the source. Then the dentist tells you plainly whether a root canal will save the tooth or whether an emergency tooth extraction makes more sense, and writes the price for each option.
A root canal is a filling that goes deeper. After the tooth is numbed, the dentist opens the biting surface, removes the inflamed nerve tissue, shapes the canals inside each root, and seals them. A front tooth has a single canal. Molars carry three or four, hence the extra time.
Plenty of emergency root canals get wrapped up in a single visit. Some teeth, especially badly infected ones, get the nerve removed and a medicine placed on the first day, and the sealing happens at a second appointment. Either way, the part that hurts, the nerve, is gone after the first visit.
Cost of an emergency root canal in Salt Lake City
If you're paying without insurance, your exam and X-ray come to $99. The root canal is priced separately and quoted in writing once the dentist has seen how many canals the tooth has. You'll see the number before any work starts.
When your plan is one of the four we're in network with, the exam and X-ray charges get sent to the plan. Cash, credit cards, CareCredit financing and credit union financing for larger treatments are accepted. Plan by plan, the cost and insurance page lays it all out.
Why patients choose our 4500 South office
Same-day times are held Monday through Wednesday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Thursday, 8:00 AM to noon. Call first and the room is ready, with a dentist waiting, when you walk through the door. After hours, the phone still gets answered, 24/7, through a live answering service, and your name goes on the next opening.
We are in network with Delta Dental Premier, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Utah, SelectHealth and Cigna. Most other dental plans are out of network, and we submit the claim for you. Parking is on site. Larger treatments can go on CareCredit financing or credit union financing. If the idea of a root canal makes you tense, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oral sedation are available; mention it when you call.
Emergency root canal near you in the Salt Lake Valley
We're at 622 E 4500 South Ste 103, Salt Lake City, UT 84107, on 4500 South between State Street and 700 East, near Murray City Hall. From Sugar House, 700 East south from 2100 South to 4500 South takes about 8 to 12 minutes. Murray patients are 3 to 6 minutes away. From Taylorsville, 4700 South east over I-15 becomes 4500 South and brings you straight to the office.
Frequently asked questions
Is an emergency root canal painful?
The dentist numbs the tooth completely and tests the numbing before starting. What most people feel is pressure and vibration. The toothache itself usually eases once the inflamed nerve is out. Some soreness when biting is common for a few days afterward.
Can you start the root canal today?
Usually. Call (385) 480-0270 while the office is open and a same-day time is yours. After the X-ray and the written quote, the dentist can begin the same visit. If the infection is large, the first visit may involve removing the nerve and placing medicine, with sealing done at a second appointment.
Would pulling the tooth be simpler?
That's your choice, and the dentist lays out both options with written prices. A root canal keeps your own tooth and your bite. An extraction is sometimes the only option when a crack runs too deep. If swelling is the main issue, start with dental abscess treatment.
Will I need a crown after the root canal?
Back teeth usually do. A molar that's had a root canal is more brittle, so a crown protects it from splitting under chewing pressure. Front teeth sometimes manage with a filling. The crown is quoted separately before it's made.