D2543 — Metallic onlay — three surfaces
An onlay is a lab-made or milled restoration that covers one or more cusps of a back tooth. D2543 is the three-surface version in cast metal, with no ceramic layer.
It is one of nine codes covering onlay. For the procedure itself rather than the code, see the onlay guide; for the code, read on.
What the code requires, what it costs, how it is paid, and how to tell it from its neighbours — each in its own section below.
What has to be true for D2543 to apply
Extent — three surfaces. Three surfaces is the point at which a dentist starts weighing a filling against a crown or onlay, because the remaining tooth structure is thin enough to flex under load.
Material — cast metal, with no ceramic layer. A one-piece metal casting with nothing fired over it. Metal can be made far thinner than ceramic at the same strength, so less of the tooth has to be reduced, and the margins can be finished more closely than with any other material. It is obviously metallic, which limits it to positions where that does not matter. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D2543 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
Not to be confused with
D2542 — Metallic onlay — two surfaces: It covers two surfaces instead of three surfaces.
D2544 — Metallic onlay — four or more surfaces: It covers four or more surfaces instead of three surfaces.
D2642 — Porcelain onlay — two surfaces: It covers two surfaces instead of three surfaces.
D2643 — Porcelain onlay — three surfaces: It specifies porcelain rather than cast metal, with no ceramic layer.
D2543 sits in a group of nine codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. There is no penalty for asking which of these is planned, and there is a real cost to finding out from an explanation of benefits weeks later.
Every code in this group
These codes describe the same broad procedure and differ in one respect each. Each has its own page with its own fee range and coverage notes.
| Code | Procedure |
|---|---|
| D2543 | Metallic onlay — three surfaces — this page |
| D2542 | Metallic onlay — two surfaces |
| D2544 | Metallic onlay — four or more surfaces |
| D2642 | Porcelain onlay — two surfaces |
| D2643 | Porcelain onlay — three surfaces |
| D2644 | Porcelain onlay — four or more surfaces |
| D2662 | Composite onlay — two surfaces |
| D2663 | Composite onlay — three surfaces |
| D2664 | Composite onlay — four or more surfaces |
Questions about D2543
What does dental code D2543 mean?
It is the entry for metallic onlay, three surfaces. A practice cannot use it for anything broader than that, which is what makes the code useful to you.
What should I expect to pay for D2543?
Plan for $1,210–$2,550 as the full fee. Two practices a few miles apart can sit at opposite ends of that range for the same work.
Will my plan pay for D2543?
Typically, yes — major benefits, typically 50%. What varies between plans is the frequency limit rather than whether the procedure is covered at all.
What is the difference between D2543 and D2542?
D2542 is metallic onlay, two surfaces: it covers two surfaces instead of three surfaces. That one difference is the whole distinction; the chair time, the materials and the appointment sequence are the same either way.
Also known as: onlay, partial crown, cusp coverage, indirect restoration, cracked tooth restoration.