D3120 — Pulp cap — indirect (excluding final restoration)
D3120 leaves a thin layer of affected dentine over the pulp and dresses it, so that the nerve is never opened at all.
It is the default code in a group of two, and the one whose fee is normally quoted when this treatment is discussed. Our pulp cap guide covers the procedure in depth.
Below: the conditions built into this particular code, a realistic fee range, what happens when it reaches an insurer, and a side-by-side comparison with the codes most often substituted for it.
Where the line falls between D3120 and the rest
D3110 — Pulp cap — direct (excluding final restoration): It is the same procedure with one word changed: direct rather than indirect.
That code and D3120 are the whole group — nothing else in the code set describes this procedure. If an estimate lists D3120 and the treatment that follows matches a neighbouring code instead, the office has to resubmit — which delays the payment rather than increasing it.
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 |
|---|---|
| D3120 | Pulp cap — indirect (excluding final restoration) — this page |
| D3110 | Pulp cap — direct (excluding final restoration) |
Questions about D3120
What procedure is D3120?
On a claim, D3120 tells the insurer that what was performed was pulp cap, indirect, excluding final restoration.
What is the typical fee for D3120?
Expect $70–$220. Ask for the number in writing, because the code carries no fee of its own and every practice sets its own.
Is D3120 a covered benefit?
Usually yes, as basic treatment at 0–80% — but coverage turns on your own policy, its annual maximum and any waiting period.
What is the difference between D3120 and D3110?
D3110 is pulp cap, direct, excluding final restoration: it is the same procedure with one word changed: direct rather than indirect. Because that is the only difference, a reviewer who disagrees with it simply reprices the claim to D3110 rather than refusing it.
Also known as: pulp cap, deep filling, nerve exposure, MTA, calcium hydroxide.