D6070 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (base metal)
One of the codes covering the retainer units of a bridge supported by implants rather than natural teeth. D6070 is the version in porcelain fired over a base-metal core.
It is one of 16 codes covering implant-supported bridge retainer. For the procedure itself rather than the code, see the implant-supported bridge retainer guide; for the code, read on.
This page explains what that code number commits the office to, what it usually costs, how plans treat it, and — the part that causes most of the confusion — how it differs from the codes sitting immediately either side of it.
What the code commits to
Material — porcelain fired over a base-metal core. The core is a base-metal alloy — nickel-chromium or cobalt-chromium — with porcelain fired over it. Base metals are stiff and strong, so the core can be made thinner and more porcelain can be fired over it, and they are much cheaper than noble alloys. Against that, they are harder to burnish to a precise margin, they corrode slowly at the edges over many years, and nickel sensitivity affects a small but real minority of patients, who should ask for a nickel-free alternative. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D6070 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
The nearby codes and how they differ
D6069 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (high noble): It specifies porcelain fired over a high noble, gold-rich core rather than porcelain fired over a base-metal core.
D6071 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (noble metal): It specifies porcelain fired over a noble-alloy core rather than porcelain fired over a base-metal core.
D6068 — Abutment-supported retainer, porcelain/ceramic FPD: It specifies all-ceramic, with no metal underneath rather than porcelain fired over a base-metal core.
D6072 — Abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD (high noble): It specifies cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it rather than porcelain fired over a base-metal core.
D6070 sits in a group of 16 codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. Where the codes sit this close together, the record of the appointment is what settles which one was earned. That is worth knowing before treatment rather than after.
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 D6070
What is D6070 on my dental bill?
On a claim, D6070 tells the insurer that what was performed was abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD, base metal.
How much does D6070 cost?
Usually somewhere in $1,200–$2,800 as a gross fee. The code fixes what was done, not what it costs, so ask for the practice's own figure in writing.
How do dental plans handle D6070?
Yes on most policies, treated as major work at 0–50%. A waiting period on a new policy is the commonest reason it is not.
What is the difference between D6070 and D6069?
D6069 is abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD, high noble: it specifies porcelain fired over a high noble, gold-rich core rather than porcelain fired over a base-metal core. The rest of the procedure is the same, which is why the two get substituted for one another on estimates.
Also known as: implant bridge, implant retainer, implant supported FPD, multiple missing teeth.