D2610 — Porcelain inlay — one surface
An inlay is a restoration made outside the mouth and then cemented into a prepared cavity. D2610 is the single-surface version in porcelain.
Of the nine codes covering inlay, this is the one that appears most often on treatment plans, so it is the figure most people are quoted. For the procedure itself — how the appointments run, how long the result lasts, what the alternatives are — see our inlay guide.
What follows is the detail behind the number: the conditions the code sets, its typical fee, its usual benefit treatment, and a code-by-code comparison with its closest neighbours.
What D2610 specifies
Extent — a single surface. A single surface means the decay has not yet reached the side of the tooth. That keeps the preparation shallow and the appointment short — often under half an hour.
Material — porcelain. Porcelain is a fired dental ceramic, chosen because it reflects and transmits light much as enamel does and because it does not stain. It is harder than enamel, so it holds a polish for decades, and brittle, so it depends on the strength of the bond underneath it and on an even bite to avoid chipping. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D2610 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
D2610 compared with its closest relatives
D2620 — Porcelain inlay — two surfaces: It covers two surfaces instead of a single surface.
D2630 — Porcelain inlay — three or more surfaces: It covers three surfaces instead of a single surface.
D2650 — Composite inlay — one surface: It specifies tooth-coloured composite resin rather than porcelain.
D2651 — Composite inlay — two surfaces: It covers two surfaces instead of a single surface.
D2610 sits in a group of nine codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. Two of these codes on one estimate is not necessarily an error, but it is always worth asking what each line is for.
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 |
|---|---|
| D2610 | Porcelain inlay — one surface — this page |
| D2510 | Metallic inlay — one surface |
| D2520 | Metallic inlay — two surfaces |
| D2530 | Metallic inlay — three or more surfaces |
| D2620 | Porcelain inlay — two surfaces |
| D2630 | Porcelain inlay — three or more surfaces |
| D2650 | Composite inlay — one surface |
| D2651 | Composite inlay — two surfaces |
| D2652 | Composite inlay — three or more surfaces |
Questions about D2610
What does dental code D2610 mean?
Porcelain inlay, one surface, reported under a single restorative code.
Is D2610 expensive?
Between $800–$1,710 in most practices — and that is the figure before any benefit is applied, not what you would pay at the desk.
Does dental insurance cover D2610?
Yes on most policies, treated as major work at typically 50%. A waiting period on a new policy is the commonest reason it is not.
What is the difference between D2610 and D2620?
D2620 is porcelain inlay, two surfaces: it covers two surfaces instead of a single surface. The rest of the procedure is the same, which is why the two get substituted for one another on estimates.
Also known as: inlay, indirect restoration, lab-made filling, ceramic inlay, gold inlay.