D5221 — Immediate upper partial denture (resin base)
A partial denture replaces some of the teeth in an arch and is held in place by the teeth that remain. D5221 is the immediate version in an acrylic resin base, for the upper jaw.
It is one of 13 codes covering partial denture. For the procedure itself rather than the code, see the partial denture guide; for the code, read on.
Three things matter when this code turns up on paperwork: what it obliges the practice to have actually done, what it is worth, and which nearby code it is not. All three are set out below.
D5221 in detail
Material — an acrylic resin base. An acrylic partial is made entirely from pink methacrylate resin, sometimes with wire clasps embedded in it. It is the cheapest option, it can be added to and relined easily as more teeth are lost, and it is quick to make. In exchange the base has to be thick to be strong, which most people notice for the first few weeks, and it carries its load on the gum rather than on the remaining teeth. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D5221 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
Arch — upper. The palate provides broad support for anything removable, but the sinuses sit directly above the back teeth, which constrains surgical work.
Status — interim, not definitive. It is built to function for a limited period while something else is planned or healing, and many plans fold its fee into the definitive restoration if that follows within a few months.
Told apart from the codes it is confused with
D5223 — Immediate maxillary partial denture — cast metal framework: It specifies a cast metal framework rather than an acrylic resin base.
D5224 — Immediate mandibular partial denture — cast metal framework: It specifies a cast metal framework rather than an acrylic resin base.
D5225 — Maxillary partial denture — flexible base: It specifies a flexible nylon-type base rather than an acrylic resin base.
D5226 — Mandibular partial denture — flexible base: It specifies a flexible nylon-type base rather than an acrylic resin base.
D5221 sits in a group of 13 codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. The practical point: confirm which of these is going on the claim before treatment, not after. Corrections after submission mean a resubmission, a delay, and occasionally a fee you did not expect.
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 D5221
What procedure is D5221?
Immediate upper partial denture, resin base, reported under a single prosthodontics, removable code.
What is the typical fee for D5221?
Expect $900–$2,000. Ask for the number in writing, because the code carries no fee of its own and every practice sets its own.
Does dental insurance cover D5221?
Usually yes, as major prosthodontic treatment at typically 50% — but coverage turns on your own policy, its annual maximum and any waiting period.
Also known as: partial denture, removable partial, chrome denture, flexible denture, clasps.