D5932 — Obturator prosthesis, definitive
D5932 is the definitive obturator, the long-term prosthesis closing a surgical hole in the palate once healing is complete.
Of the eleven codes covering obturator and resection prosthesis, this is the one that appears most often on treatment plans, so it is the figure most people are quoted. For the procedure itself — how the appointments run, how long the result lasts, what the alternatives are — see our obturator and resection prosthesis guide.
What the code requires, what it costs, how it is paid, and how to tell it from its neighbours — each in its own section below.
Told apart from the codes it is confused with
D5931 — Obturator prosthesis, surgical: It is the same procedure with one word changed: surgical rather than definitive.
D5933 — Obturator prosthesis, modification: It is the same procedure with one word changed: modification rather than definitive.
D5934 — Mandibular resection prosthesis with guide flange: It is the prosthesis for a jaw that has had part of it removed, with a flange that guides what remains into a usable bite.
D5935 — Mandibular resection prosthesis without guide flange: It is that same post-resection prosthesis without a guide flange, for a jaw that still closes along the right path.
D5932 sits in a group of eleven codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. Because the wording of these codes is so close, substituting one for another is a routine cause of rejected claims and of unexpected balances. If D5932 is on your estimate, it is worth confirming that the detail it specifies matches what is actually planned.
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 D5932
What is D5932 on my dental bill?
It is the entry for obturator prosthesis, definitive. A practice cannot use it for anything broader than that, which is what makes the code useful to you.
How much does D5932 cost?
Usually somewhere in $2,500–$8,000 as a gross fee. The code fixes what was done, not what it costs, so ask for the practice's own figure in writing.
Is D5932 a covered benefit?
Typically, yes — medical / maxillofacial benefits, variable. What varies between plans is the frequency limit rather than whether the procedure is covered at all.
What is the difference between D5932 and D5931?
D5931 is obturator prosthesis, surgical: it is the same procedure with one word changed: surgical rather than definitive. Because that is the only difference, a reviewer who disagrees with it simply reprices the claim to D5931 rather than refusing it.
Also known as: obturator, palatal defect, oral cancer prosthesis, maxillary resection, speech aid.