D3473 — Surgical repair of root resorption — molar
D3473 is the root-resorption repair on a molar, the hardest of the three because of the access and the root anatomy.
This is one of eleven closely related root resection and related procedures codes. The treatment is explained in full in the root resection and related procedures guide — this page is about what makes this particular code different.
Below you will find what this code specifically requires, a realistic price range, the usual benefit handling, and where it stops applying and another code begins.
What has to be true for D3473 to apply
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 D3473 and the rest
D3472 — Surgical repair of root resorption — premolar: It applies to premolars rather than molars.
D3471 — Surgical repair of root resorption — anterior: It applies to front tooths rather than molars.
D3470 — Intentional reimplantation: It takes the tooth out deliberately, treats it outside the mouth, and puts it back into its socket.
D3460 — Endodontic endosseous implant: It is the endodontic implant, a post passed through the root into the bone beneath to stabilise a tooth — a historic procedure.
D3473 sits in a group of eleven codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. 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.
Questions about D3473
D3473 — what is it?
D3473 is shorthand for surgical repair of root resorption, molar — the same five characters every practice and every insurer in the country uses for it.
How much does D3473 cost?
$500–$1,400 covers most of the country. Specialist practices and big-city addresses tend to sit in the upper half.
Is D3473 a covered benefit?
Yes on most policies, treated as major / surgical work at variable. A waiting period on a new policy is the commonest reason it is not.
What is the difference between D3473 and D3472?
D3472 is surgical repair of root resorption, premolar: it applies to premolars rather than molars. Apart from that, the two describe the same treatment — which is why the notes for the visit matter more here than the code itself.
Also known as: root amputation, hemisection, decoronation, root resorption, intentional reimplantation.