D2751 — Crown — porcelain fused to base metal
A crown is a custom-made cap that covers the entire visible part of a tooth. D2751 is the version in porcelain fired over a base-metal core.
There are 15 codes for crown and they are not interchangeable. This page covers this one; the crown guide covers the treatment they all share.
Everything below is specific to this code: what it pins down, what it is worth, how a payer handles it, and which codes it is not.
What has to be true for D2751 to apply
Material — porcelain fired over a base-metal core. The core is a base-metal alloy — nickel-chromium or cobalt-chromium — with porcelain fired over it. Base metals are stiff and strong, so the core can be made thinner and more porcelain can be fired over it, and they are much cheaper than noble alloys. Against that, they are harder to burnish to a precise margin, they corrode slowly at the edges over many years, and nickel sensitivity affects a small but real minority of patients, who should ask for a nickel-free alternative. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D2751 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
The nearby codes and how they differ
D2750 — Crown — porcelain fused to high noble metal: It specifies porcelain fired over a high noble, gold-rich core rather than porcelain fired over a base-metal core.
D2752 — Crown — porcelain fused to noble metal: It specifies porcelain fired over a noble-alloy core rather than porcelain fired over a base-metal core.
D2753 — Crown — porcelain fused to titanium: It specifies porcelain fired over a titanium core rather than porcelain fired over a base-metal core.
D2722 — Crown — resin with noble metal: It specifies resin veneered over a noble alloy rather than porcelain fired over a base-metal core.
D2751 sits in a group of 15 codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. None of these are interchangeable, even though they sound as though they might be. Checking that the code on your estimate is the one that matches the planned treatment takes a minute and prevents most billing surprises.
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 D2751
D2751 — what is it?
The procedure behind the number is crown, porcelain fused to base metal, filed under restorative.
How much does D2751 cost?
Between $950–$2,200 in most practices — and that is the figure before any benefit is applied, not what you would pay at the desk.
How do dental plans handle D2751?
Expect major handling — typically 50% after deductible. Submitting an estimate first turns that percentage into a number you can rely on.
What is the difference between D2751 and D2750?
D2750 is crown, porcelain fused to high noble metal: it specifies porcelain fired over a high noble, gold-rich core rather than porcelain fired over a base-metal core. Because that is the only difference, a reviewer who disagrees with it simply reprices the claim to D2750 rather than refusing it.
Also known as: dental crown, cap, full coverage restoration, crown and bridge.