D3240 — Pulpal therapy (resorbable filling) — posterior, primary tooth (excluding final restoration)
This is root canal treatment for a baby tooth, sometimes called a pulpectomy. D3240 is the version for a back tooth.
This is one of two closely related pulpal therapy, primary tooth codes. The treatment is explained in full in the pulpal therapy, primary tooth guide — this page is about what makes this particular code different.
Four things follow: the conditions, the cost, the coverage, and the difference between this code and each one it sits beside.
What the code commits to
Tooth — a posterior tooth, out of sight but under the greatest load.
Dentition — a primary (baby) tooth. The restoration only has to survive until the tooth is shed naturally, which changes what counts as adequate treatment and usually rules out the more expensive alternatives.
Where the line falls between D3240 and the rest
D3230 — Pulpal therapy (resorbable filling) — anterior, primary tooth (excluding final restoration): It applies to front tooths rather than back tooths.
That code and D3240 are the whole group — nothing else in the code set describes this procedure. There is no penalty for asking which of these is planned, and there is a real cost to finding out from an explanation of benefits weeks later.
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 |
|---|---|
| D3240 | Pulpal therapy (resorbable filling) — posterior, primary tooth (excluding final restoration) — this page |
| D3230 | Pulpal therapy (resorbable filling) — anterior, primary tooth (excluding final restoration) |
Questions about D3240
What procedure is D3240?
Pulpal therapy (resorbable filling), posterior, primary tooth, excluding final restoration, reported under a single endodontics code.
Is D3240 expensive?
The usual range is $350–$800. Anything well outside it is worth a question rather than an assumption.
Will my plan pay for D3240?
Usually yes, as basic treatment at typically 70–80% — but coverage turns on your own policy, its annual maximum and any waiting period.
What is the difference between D3240 and D3230?
D3230 is pulpal therapy (resorbable filling), anterior, primary tooth, excluding final restoration: it applies to front tooths rather than back tooths. That one difference is the whole distinction; the chair time, the materials and the appointment sequence are the same either way.
Also known as: baby tooth root canal, pulpectomy, primary tooth endodontics, resorbable filling.