Root Canal Specialists · Tacoma, WA
Some teeth need a second opinion with a microscope behind it. Tacoma patients make the 45–55 minute run up I-5 and SR-18 for retreatments, cracked molars, and the cases general offices refer out — the exact work Dr. Nima Dejbod does all day, every day.
Dr. Dejbod · where Tacoma's toughest teeth land
Bite down wrong in the North End and you know it instantly. Emergency appointments are held back every business day — call early, take I-5 north to SR-18 east, and you can be numb before lunch.
Know Your Tooth
Untreated decay, a failing old filling, or a crack from years of hard chewing lets bacteria slip into the pulp chamber. The tissue inside gets infected, and pressure with nowhere to go becomes pain you can't ignore.
Guided by a surgical microscope, Dr. Dejbod takes out the infected tissue, flushes and disinfects the full length of every canal, and seals the system shut against new bacteria.
The tooth stays. The pain leaves. Your Tacoma dentist adds a protective crown, and you chew on that side again without thinking about it.
Specialist vs. Generalist
Plenty of offices start root canals. Far fewer finish the difficult ones well. The honest comparison:
| Evergreen Endodontics | Typical General Office | |
|---|---|---|
| Training | A two-to-three-year endodontic residency after dental school, devoted solely to the inside of teeth | One dental degree covering dozens of procedure types, root canals among them |
| Volume | 10,000+ root canals completed — including the retreatments and cracked molars others refer away | A handful of root canals per month, slotted between hygiene checks and crown preps |
| Magnification | Surgical microscope at up to 14x on every case — the missed canal from a first attempt gets found | Loupes or naked eye; the canal that was missed once can be missed again |
| Sedation | Nitrous, oral, and IV sedation available in-house, matched to your anxiety level | Varies widely; IV sedation is uncommon in general practice |
Your Visit
About an hour in the chair — then the drive home feels a whole lot better than the drive up.
Focused testing, digital X-rays, and a 3D CBCT scan when the roots hide something — you watch the findings on screen with us.
What's wrong, whether the tooth is worth saving, and the exact cost — all settled before any instrument touches the tooth.
Thorough anesthesia, microscope-guided cleaning and sealing, sedation if you'd like it. Most Tacoma patients head back down SR-18 within about an hour.
Comfort Menu
Tough town or not, dental fear is universal. Three settings, your call:
| Option | How It Feels | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrous Oxide | A gentle, floaty calm that clears minutes after the mask comes off — drive yourself home | Mild jitters, straightforward cases |
| Oral Sedation | A pill taken before arrival; profoundly relaxed, and the details of the visit fade fast | Moderate anxiety, retreatments, long appointments |
| IV Sedation | Deep conscious sedation adjusted in real time — patients consistently call it a short nap | Severe fear, surgical cases, strong gag reflexes |
The Instrument Room
A failed root canal usually means something was overlooked. Our equipment exists to make sure it isn't overlooked twice:
Up to 14x magnification exposes extra canals, fractures, and old obstructions that loupes simply can't resolve.
A full volumetric scan shows why the first treatment failed before we ever reopen the tooth.
Instant, low-radiation images reviewed chairside — no film, no darkroom, no delay.
Pinpoints the exact end of each root electronically, so cleaning reaches the very tip.
Patient Voices
Three favorites from a wall of 400+ five-star reviews.
My dentist thought the tooth might not be savable. Dr. Dejbod found the hidden canal under the microscope and saved it.
— Priya K., KirklandNO pain or discomfort during or after the procedure.
— David W., IssaquahIV sedation made the whole thing feel like a ten-minute nap. I was back at work the next morning.
— Elena S., SeattleSecond opinions, every single day
“Retreatment is some of my favorite work. A tooth that failed once usually failed for a findable reason — a missed canal, a hidden fracture. Under the microscope, those reasons stop hiding. When I can hand a Tacoma patient their own tooth back, that's a good day.”
Dr. Nima Dejbod, DMD · Washington State native · UW graduate · Seattle Met Top Dentist 2026 · Vice President, WA State Association of Endodontists
Cost & Insurance
Insurance carriers set identical in-network fees at every in-network office, so price shopping changes nothing — skill shopping changes everything. With benefits remaining, most insured patients owe $160–$655 out of pocket.
| Root Canal | Typical In-Network Rate | Without Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Front tooth (anterior) | ~$800 in-network contracted rate | from ~$1,300 without insurance |
| Premolar (bicuspid) | ~$1,000 in-network contracted rate | from ~$1,500 without insurance |
| Molar | ~$1,300 in-network contracted rate | from ~$1,900 without insurance |
You'll see the full fee in writing and sign off on it before we start. Get a personalized estimate →
We work constantly with plans from MultiCare, UW Tacoma, the Port of Tacoma, and JBLM-area employers — benefits confirmed before treatment, never after.
Getting Here
The route Tacoma patients know well: I-5 north to SR-18 east at Federal Way, through Auburn, then Issaquah-Hobart Road to 600 NW Gilman Blvd. From the North End, Proctor, or University Place it's still under an hour — and when a tooth's survival is the question, under an hour is nothing. Lakewood and Fife patients ride the same corridor. Free parking waits right at the building.
Get Directions via I-5 N to SR-18 E at Federal WayEvergreen Endodontics
600 NW Gilman Blvd Suite A
Issaquah, WA 98027
Phone: (425) 697-9777
Fax: (425) 697-9778
Email: info@EvergreenEndo.com
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Parking: Free, directly at the building
Service Area
From the North End to Lakewood, University Place to Fife, South Sound patients reach specialist care in under an hour via I-5 and SR-18. Find your neighborhood below — if it's listed, you're covered.
Specialist pages for cities near Tacoma
Questions
Direct answers before you make the drive.
Plan on 45 to 55 minutes: I-5 north to SR-18 east at Federal Way, then across Auburn to Issaquah-Hobart Road. From the North End or University Place it runs toward the longer end; from Fife or the east side it can be quicker.
Because retreatment is microscope work. A tooth whose first root canal failed usually failed for a findable reason — a missed canal, a crack, a leaking seal. Dr. Dejbod has completed 10,000+ root canals and does nothing else, so the anatomy that hid the first time does not stay hidden.
Every week. North End, Proctor, University Place, Lakewood, and Fircrest patients all funnel onto the same I-5 to SR-18 corridor and reach our Gilman Boulevard office in under an hour — with free parking waiting at the door.
Very likely. We are in-network with the major PPO plans carried by MultiCare, UW Tacoma, the Port of Tacoma, and most JBLM-area employers. Coverage is verified before your visit, so there are no billing surprises.
In-network contracted rates are roughly $800 for a front tooth, $1,000 for a premolar, and $1,300 for a molar. With benefits remaining, most insured patients pay $160–$655 out of pocket — a number you see and approve first.
Dr. Dejbod reopens the tooth, removes the old filling material, finds what was missed the first time — often an extra or calcified canal — disinfects everything, and reseals. Most retreatments finish in a single visit of about 90 minutes, and you get an honest prognosis before committing.
For Referring Dentists
For the Tacoma cases other offices could not save, we deliver microscope-guided retreatment and a complete same-day report to your office.
Ready When You Are
Same-day emergency slots · three sedation options · fees you approve in advance.
Last medically reviewed:
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your dentist, physician, or another qualified health provider with any questions about a dental condition.
Sources: NIDCR (NIH) — Tooth Decay · CDC — Oral Health