D2951 — Pin retention — per tooth, in addition to restoration
D2951 is the pin itself, a threaded post screwed into dentine to help anchor a large filling, billed per tooth on top of the restoration.
three codes describe build-up and pin retention, and this is one of them. What separates it from the other two is the subject of this page; the build-up and pin retention guide covers the treatment itself.
The detail below covers what the code obliges the record to show, the range of fees, the likely insurance outcome, and a comparison drawn code by code.
Reading D2951
Counted — per tooth, so the total scales directly with how many teeth are involved.
D2951 against the codes beside it
D2950 — Core buildup, including any pins when required: It rebuilds the missing bulk of a tooth in filling material, with pins where needed, so there is enough shape left to hold a crown.
D2949 — Restorative foundation for an indirect restoration: It blocks out and levels a broken-down tooth so that an inlay, onlay or crown has a sound foundation to be built on.
Those two codes and D2951 are the whole group — nothing else describes this procedure. Where the codes sit this close together, the record of the appointment is what settles which one was earned. That is worth knowing before treatment rather than after.
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 |
|---|---|
| D2951 | Pin retention — per tooth, in addition to restoration — this page |
| D2949 | Restorative foundation for an indirect restoration |
| D2950 | Core buildup, including any pins when required |
Questions about D2951
D2951 — what is it?
Read literally, D2951 means pin retention, per tooth, in addition to restoration — and payers do read it literally.
What should I expect to pay for D2951?
Expect $60–$180. Ask for the number in writing, because the code carries no fee of its own and every practice sets its own.
Will my plan pay for D2951?
Plans generally pay it as major treatment, 0–50%, subject to whatever is left of your maximum for the year.
What is the difference between D2951 and D2950?
D2950 is core buildup, including any pins when required: it rebuilds the missing bulk of a tooth in filling material, with pins where needed, so there is enough shape left to hold a crown. They are different operations that happen to sit next to each other in the code set, so one is not an alternative way of billing the other.
Also known as: core build-up, buildup, crown foundation, pin retention.