D6068 — Abutment-supported retainer, porcelain/ceramic FPD
One of the codes covering the retainer units of a bridge supported by implants rather than natural teeth. D6068 is the version in all-ceramic, with no metal underneath.
16 codes describe implant-supported bridge retainer, and this is one of them. What separates it from the other 15 is the subject of this page; the implant-supported bridge retainer guide covers the treatment itself.
Four things follow: the conditions, the cost, the coverage, and the difference between this code and each one it sits beside.
Reading D6068
Material — all-ceramic, with no metal underneath. An all-ceramic restoration is milled or pressed as a single piece of ceramic — most often zirconia or lithium disilicate today — with nothing metallic inside it. Because light passes through it the way it passes through enamel, it is the most convincing material available in the front of the mouth, and there is no grey line at the gum to appear as the gum recedes. Modern zirconia is also strong enough for molars, which was not true of the earlier ceramics. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D6068 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
D6068 compared with its closest relatives
D6069 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (high noble): It specifies porcelain fired over a high noble, gold-rich core rather than all-ceramic, with no metal underneath.
D6070 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (base metal): It specifies porcelain fired over a base-metal core rather than all-ceramic, with no metal underneath.
D6071 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (noble metal): It specifies porcelain fired over a noble-alloy core rather than all-ceramic, with no metal underneath.
D6072 — Abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD (high noble): It specifies cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it rather than all-ceramic, with no metal underneath.
D6068 sits in a group of 16 codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. None of these are interchangeable, even though they sound as though they might be. Checking that the code on your estimate is the one that matches the planned treatment takes a minute and prevents most billing surprises.
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 D6068
What does dental code D6068 mean?
D6068 is shorthand for abutment-supported retainer, porcelain/ceramic FPD — the same five characters every practice and every insurer in the country uses for it.
What should I expect to pay for D6068?
The usual range is $1,390–$3,250. Anything well outside it is worth a question rather than an assumption.
Will my plan pay for D6068?
It normally falls under major cover, 0–50%. Whether a particular claim is paid depends more on your history with the plan than on the code.
What is the difference between D6068 and D6069?
D6069 is abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD, high noble: it specifies porcelain fired over a high noble, gold-rich core rather than all-ceramic, with no metal underneath. 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: implant bridge, implant retainer, implant supported FPD, multiple missing teeth.