D3330 — Endodontic therapy, molar tooth (excluding final restoration)
Root canal treatment removes the pulp — the nerve and blood supply. D3330 is the version for a molar.
Among the three codes in this group it is the workhorse — the one most practices report by default. The procedure behind it is explained at length in the root canal treatment guide.
What follows is the detail behind the number: the conditions the code sets, its typical fee, its usual benefit treatment, and a code-by-code comparison with its closest neighbours.
What D3330 specifies
Tooth — a molar, furthest back and hardest to access, where moisture control and a clear view are the practical limits on how good the result can be.
Where the line falls between D3330 and the rest
D3320 — Endodontic therapy, premolar tooth (excluding final restoration): It applies to premolars rather than molars.
D3310 — Endodontic therapy, anterior tooth (excluding final restoration): It applies to front tooths rather than molars.
Those two codes and D3330 are the whole group — nothing else describes this procedure. Reviewers compare the narrative against the code rather than the other way round, so the question worth asking is what the notes will say.
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 |
|---|---|
| D3330 | Endodontic therapy, molar tooth (excluding final restoration) — this page |
| D3310 | Endodontic therapy, anterior tooth (excluding final restoration) |
| D3320 | Endodontic therapy, premolar tooth (excluding final restoration) |
Questions about D3330
What procedure is D3330?
D3330 records endodontic therapy, molar tooth, excluding final restoration — one of the endodontics codes.
What should I expect to pay for D3330?
The usual range is $1,000–$2,000. Anything well outside it is worth a question rather than an assumption.
Is D3330 a covered benefit?
Yes on most policies, treated as basic / major work at typically 50–80%. A waiting period on a new policy is the commonest reason it is not.
What is the difference between D3330 and D3320?
D3320 is endodontic therapy, premolar tooth, excluding final restoration: it applies to premolars rather than molars. Nothing else separates them, which is exactly why a claim submitted under the wrong one of the two is such a common correction.
Also known as: root canal, endodontic treatment, RCT, nerve treatment, abscessed tooth.