What D2720 means

D2720 covers a crown — resin with high noble metal. "D" is dental, "27" is the crowns group, and "20" is this resin-with-high-noble-metal crown. This is a full-coverage crown with a two-part construction: a substructure (the inner core, providing strength) made of high noble metal, covered with an outer layer of tooth-colored resin (composite) for aesthetics. 'High noble metal' refers to dental alloys with a high content of noble metals (gold, platinum, palladium) — gold being the classic example — which are strong, biocompatible, and corrosion-resistant, and considered the premium metal category.

So this crown combines a high-noble-metal substructure (strength, biocompatibility) with a resin veneer (tooth-colored appearance), providing a full-coverage restoration that's both strong and tooth-colored.

The resin-with-metal crown codes are by metal type: high noble (D2720, this one), predominantly base metal (D2721), and noble metal (D2722). These are distinct from porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns (D2750+, which use porcelain rather than resin over the metal) and from all-ceramic (D2740) or all-metal (D2790+) crowns. The resin-over-metal construction provides metal strength with a tooth-colored resin surface, though resin is generally less durable and more prone to wear/staining than porcelain. Coverage is under major restorative benefits, often around 50 percent, with frequency limits; the high noble metal content can affect the fee.

When it's typically used

D2720 is reported for a full-coverage crown with a high-noble-metal (such as high-gold) substructure covered with tooth-colored resin — used when a crown combining metal strength and biocompatibility with a tooth-colored appearance is wanted, with high noble metal as the premium substructure material.

How much does D2720 cost?

A resin-with-high-noble-metal crown is a significant fee, often roughly 800 to 1,500 USD depending on region and the metal market (the high noble metal content, especially gold, affects the cost and varies with metal prices) — reflecting the premium metal substructure plus the resin veneer. It combines metal strength with a tooth-colored appearance.

Is D2720 covered by insurance?

Covered under major restorative benefits, often around 50 percent, with frequency limits (e.g., once per tooth per several years, often 5+ years). The high noble metal content affects the fee, and some plans may cover a high-noble-metal crown at the rate of a base-metal alternative (paying toward the less-expensive metal, with the patient covering the difference for the premium metal). Documentation supports the claim. Verifying how the plan handles the metal type helps anticipate the cost.

The resin-over-metal crown construction

The resin-with-metal crown has a particular two-part construction, and understanding it clarifies what this crown is.

This crown combines two materials in a two-part construction. The substructure (inner core): made of metal — here, high noble metal (a high-gold-content or similar noble alloy) — which provides the strength and structural foundation of the crown, fitting over the prepared tooth. The veneer (outer layer): made of tooth-colored resin (composite), covering the metal substructure to give the crown a tooth-colored appearance. So the crown has a strong metal core with a tooth-colored resin surface — combining the metal's strength and the resin's aesthetics. This construction aims to provide both the structural benefits of metal and a tooth-colored appearance, in one crown.

This resin-over-metal construction is similar in concept to a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown (which also has a metal substructure with a tooth-colored veneer), but uses resin rather than porcelain for the veneer. The resin veneer is tooth-colored and can be aesthetic, but resin is generally less durable, more prone to wear, and more prone to staining over time than porcelain — so a resin-over-metal crown's aesthetic surface may not be as durable or stain-resistant as a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown's. The metal substructure (high noble metal here) provides the strength. For patients, understanding the resin-over-metal construction — a strong metal substructure (high noble metal) with a tooth-colored resin veneer — clarifies what this crown is. It combines metal strength with a tooth-colored surface, similar to porcelain-fused-to-metal but with resin instead of porcelain for the veneer (resin being generally less durable than porcelain for the aesthetic layer). The dentist determines when this construction suits a tooth. Understanding the construction helps patients see what a resin-with-metal crown is — a metal-cored, tooth-colored-surfaced crown combining strength and aesthetics, with the resin veneer's characteristics relative to porcelain.

What 'high noble metal' means

The 'high noble metal' designation is significant, and understanding it clarifies this crown's substructure material.

Dental metals (alloys) are categorized by their noble metal content into three groups, which the CDT crown codes distinguish. High noble metal: alloys with a high content of noble metals (gold, platinum, palladium) — with gold being the classic example. These are the premium metal category, valued for being strong, biocompatible (well-tolerated by the body), corrosion-resistant, and having excellent properties for dental use. Noble metal: alloys with a moderate noble metal content — a middle category. Predominantly base metal: alloys made mostly of non-noble (base) metals (like nickel-chromium or cobalt-chromium) — the most economical category, strong but less premium (and base metals like nickel can occasionally cause sensitivity in some patients). So 'high noble metal' (D2720) means the crown's substructure uses the premium, high-noble (high-gold) alloy category.

The high noble metal substructure offers advantages: excellent biocompatibility (important for a restoration in the mouth long-term), corrosion resistance, strength, and the well-established performance of high-gold alloys in dentistry. These benefits come at a higher material cost (gold and other noble metals are expensive, and the cost varies with metal market prices). The resin-with-metal crown codes distinguish the metal type (high noble D2720, base metal D2721, noble D2722) because the metal category affects the crown's properties and cost. For patients, understanding that 'high noble metal' means the premium, high-noble (high-gold) alloy category — valued for biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, and strength — clarifies this crown's substructure material and why it's the premium option. The high noble metal provides excellent properties for the crown's foundation, at a higher cost. The dentist determines whether a high noble metal substructure is appropriate, weighing its benefits and cost. Understanding what 'high noble metal' means helps patients appreciate the substructure material's quality and why a high-noble-metal crown is the premium metal option, offering excellent biocompatibility and properties for the crown's foundation, with the corresponding cost of the premium metal.

Resin-over-metal vs porcelain-fused-to-metal

Resin-over-metal crowns and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are similar but differ, and understanding the comparison clarifies the choice.

Both have a metal substructure with a tooth-colored veneer, but they differ in the veneer material. A resin-with-metal crown (D2720+) uses a resin (composite) veneer over the metal — tooth-colored, but resin is generally less durable, more prone to wear, and more prone to staining over time than porcelain. A porcelain-fused-to-metal crown (D2750+) uses a porcelain veneer over the metal — tooth-colored, harder, more durable, and more stain-resistant than resin, providing a more durable and stain-resistant aesthetic surface. So the main difference is the veneer: resin (less durable, more economical) versus porcelain (more durable, stain-resistant, often preferred for the aesthetic surface). Both have the metal substructure for strength.

The choice between them involves the durability and stain-resistance of the aesthetic surface (porcelain better) versus the economy (resin often more economical). Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are very commonly used and well-established, valued for combining metal strength with a durable porcelain aesthetic surface. Resin-with-metal crowns offer metal strength with a more economical (but less durable) resin surface, which might be chosen for economy or specific situations. The dentist determines which suits the tooth, weighing the aesthetic surface's durability and stain-resistance against the cost. For patients, understanding that resin-over-metal and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns both have a metal substructure but differ in the veneer — resin (less durable, more economical) versus porcelain (more durable, stain-resistant) — clarifies the comparison. Both provide metal strength with a tooth-colored surface; the veneer material affects the durability and stain-resistance of that surface and the cost. The dentist's recommendation considers these factors. Understanding the comparison helps patients see why a resin-with-metal or a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown might be chosen, with the porcelain version offering a more durable, stain-resistant aesthetic surface and the resin version offering a more economical (but less durable) one, both over a strong metal substructure.

Considerations for a resin-with-metal crown

There are particular considerations for a resin-with-high-noble-metal crown, and understanding them helps patients make an informed decision.

A resin-with-high-noble-metal crown involves several considerations. Strength: the high-noble-metal substructure provides good strength, suiting the crown for full coverage and chewing forces. Biocompatibility: the high noble metal (high-gold) is excellent for biocompatibility and corrosion resistance, a benefit for a long-term restoration. Aesthetics: the resin veneer is tooth-colored, providing a tooth-colored appearance, though resin is less durable and more prone to wear and staining than porcelain — so the aesthetic surface may wear or stain over time more than a porcelain veneer would. Cost: the high noble metal content (gold, etc.) makes this a more expensive crown, with the cost varying with metal market prices; insurance may cover it at a base-metal rate (with the patient covering the premium-metal difference). Durability of the veneer: the resin veneer's durability is a consideration — it may need more care or eventual attention compared with a porcelain veneer.

So a resin-with-high-noble-metal crown offers a strong, biocompatible high-noble-metal foundation with a tooth-colored resin surface, with the considerations of the resin veneer's durability and the cost of the high noble metal. The dentist evaluates whether this crown suits the tooth, weighing the metal substructure's benefits, the resin veneer's characteristics, and the cost, against alternatives (a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown for a more durable aesthetic surface, an all-ceramic crown for full aesthetics, or other options). For patients, understanding the considerations — the strength and biocompatibility of the high noble metal, the tooth-colored but less-durable resin veneer, and the cost of the high noble metal — helps them make an informed decision about a resin-with-high-noble-metal crown. It combines a premium metal foundation with a tooth-colored resin surface, with the veneer's durability and the metal's cost as considerations. The dentist discusses whether it suits the tooth and the patient's priorities. Understanding the considerations helps patients appreciate this crown's combination of metal strength/biocompatibility and tooth-colored aesthetics, and engage with the decision among the crown options for their tooth.

Frequently asked questions

What is the D2720 dental code?

It's a crown made of resin with high noble metal — a crown with a high-noble-metal (such as high-gold) substructure covered with tooth-colored resin. It combines a strong, biocompatible metal base with a tooth-colored resin surface for a full-coverage restoration.

How is this crown constructed?

It has a two-part construction — a metal substructure (here, high noble metal) providing strength, covered with a tooth-colored resin (composite) veneer for appearance. So it has a strong metal core with a tooth-colored surface, similar to porcelain-fused-to-metal but with resin instead of porcelain.

What does 'high noble metal' mean?

It's the premium dental metal category — alloys with a high content of noble metals (gold, platinum, palladium), gold being the classic example. They're strong, biocompatible, and corrosion-resistant. The other categories are noble metal (D2722) and predominantly base metal (D2721).

How does resin-over-metal compare to porcelain-fused-to-metal?

Both have a metal substructure with a tooth-colored veneer. Resin-over-metal uses a resin veneer (more economical but less durable, more prone to wear/staining). Porcelain-fused-to-metal uses porcelain (more durable, stain-resistant). The veneer material is the key difference.

How much does a resin-with-high-noble-metal crown cost?

Often around 800 to 1,500 USD depending on the metal market (the high noble metal content, especially gold, affects the cost and varies with metal prices), reflecting the premium metal plus resin veneer. Insurance may cover it at a base-metal rate.

What are the considerations for this crown?

It offers strength and excellent biocompatibility (high noble metal) with a tooth-colored resin surface, but the resin veneer is less durable and more prone to wear/staining than porcelain, and the high noble metal makes it more expensive. The dentist weighs these against alternatives.

This page is an independent, plain-language explanation for general information only. It is not billing, coding, or clinical advice. For the official CDT descriptor and current-year wording, refer to the American Dental Association.