D4210 — Gingivectomy / gingivoplasty (4+ teeth)
A gingivectomy removes excess gum tissue; a gingivoplasty reshapes it. D4210 is the full-quadrant version.
Among the two 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 gingivectomy and gingivoplasty 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.
The conditions built into D4210
Extent — four or more teeth in the quadrant. Four or more teeth in the quadrant puts this at the full-quadrant end of the pair. The fee assumes the whole segment was treated in one sitting, and a plan will expect charting that shows enough affected teeth to justify it.
Not to be confused with
D4211 — Gingivectomy/gingivoplasty — 1–3 teeth: It is the same treatment on one to three teeth in the quadrant rather than four or more teeth in the quadrant — the distinction decides which of the two is the correct claim.
That code and D4210 are the whole group — nothing else in the code set describes this procedure. The distinction is clinical, not administrative: each of these describes work that was genuinely done differently, and the fee follows the work.
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 |
|---|---|
| D4210 | Gingivectomy / gingivoplasty (4+ teeth) — this page |
| D4211 | Gingivectomy/gingivoplasty — 1–3 teeth |
Questions about D4210
D4210 — what is it?
Read literally, D4210 means gingivectomy / gingivoplasty, 4+ teeth — and payers do read it literally.
How much does D4210 cost?
Expect $500–$1,300. Ask for the number in writing, because the code carries no fee of its own and every practice sets its own.
Is D4210 a covered benefit?
Expect major periodontal handling — typically 50–80%. Submitting an estimate first turns that percentage into a number you can rely on.
What is the difference between D4210 and D4211?
D4211 is gingivectomy/gingivoplasty, 1–3 teeth: it is the same treatment on one to three teeth in the quadrant rather than four or more teeth in the quadrant — the distinction decides which of the two is the correct claim. Everything else about the appointment is identical, so the record has to show that one detail for D4210 to be the defensible code.
Also known as: gingivectomy, gum reshaping, gingival overgrowth, gummy smile.