D2712 — Crown — 3/4 indirect resin-based composite
D2712 is the same laboratory composite crown covering only three of the tooth's walls, leaving one sound surface untouched.
This is one of 15 closely related crown codes. The treatment is explained in full in the crown guide — this page is about what makes this particular code different.
This page explains what that code number commits the office to, what it usually costs, how plans treat it, and — the part that causes most of the confusion — how it differs from the codes sitting immediately either side of it.
Reading D2712
Material — lab-processed indirect composite. This is composite cured in a laboratory oven under pressure rather than in the mouth under a light, which raises its density and wear resistance well above chairside composite. It arrives as a solid piece and is bonded in at a second visit. It is kinder to an opposing natural tooth than porcelain and costs less than ceramic, but it stains and wears faster than either porcelain or metal over a decade. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D2712 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
Coverage — three-quarter rather than full. One wall of the tooth, usually the visible one, is left uncovered. That preserves sound tooth structure and keeps a natural surface on display, but it needs a tooth with enough healthy structure left on that wall to be worth keeping.
Counted — per site, and sites are counted by the surgeon's record rather than by tooth number, so the documentation drives the total.
D2712 compared with its closest relatives
D2710 — Crown — indirect resin-based composite: It is a crown made of laboratory-processed composite rather than porcelain: cheaper, softer, and usually a medium-term choice.
D2720 — Crown — resin with high noble metal: It specifies resin veneered over a high noble alloy rather than lab-processed indirect composite.
D2721 — Crown — resin with predominantly base metal: It specifies resin veneered over a base-metal alloy rather than lab-processed indirect composite.
D2722 — Crown — resin with noble metal: It specifies resin veneered over a noble alloy rather than lab-processed indirect composite.
D2712 sits in a group of 15 codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. Because the wording of these codes is so close, substituting one for another is a routine cause of rejected claims and of unexpected balances. If D2712 is on your estimate, it is worth confirming that the detail it specifies matches what is actually planned.
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.
Questions about D2712
What does dental code D2712 mean?
Crown, 3/4 indirect resin-based composite, reported under a single restorative code.
What should I expect to pay for D2712?
$835–$1,935 covers most of the country. Specialist practices and big-city addresses tend to sit in the upper half.
Does dental insurance cover D2712?
Typically, yes — major benefits, typically 50% after deductible. What varies between plans is the frequency limit rather than whether the procedure is covered at all.
What is the difference between D2712 and D2710?
D2710 is crown, indirect resin-based composite: it is a crown made of laboratory-processed composite rather than porcelain: cheaper, softer, and usually a medium-term choice. They share a section of the code set and very little else, so the comparison worth making is on what each involves rather than on which is cheaper.
Also known as: dental crown, cap, full coverage restoration, crown and bridge.