D6071 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (noble metal)
One of the codes covering the retainer units of a bridge supported by implants rather than natural teeth. D6071 is the version in porcelain fired over a noble-alloy core.
There are 16 codes for implant-supported bridge retainer and they are not interchangeable. This page covers this one; the implant-supported bridge retainer guide covers the treatment they all share.
The detail below covers what the code obliges the record to show, the range of fees, the likely insurance outcome, and a comparison drawn code by code.
Reading D6071
Material — porcelain fired over a noble-alloy core. A noble alloy contains at least 25% noble metal — usually palladium with some gold or silver — with porcelain fired over it. It is the middle option: better corrosion resistance and a kinder fit at the margin than base metal, without the price of a gold-rich alloy. Palladium-based alloys are also considerably lighter and stiffer than gold, which some technicians prefer for long-span work. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D6071 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
D6071 against the codes beside it
D6070 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (base metal): It specifies porcelain fired over a base-metal core rather than porcelain fired over a noble-alloy 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 noble-alloy core.
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 noble-alloy core.
D6073 — Abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD (base metal): It specifies cast predominantly base-metal alloy rather than porcelain fired over a noble-alloy core.
D6071 sits in a group of 16 codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. These distinctions exist because they change what was actually done. A claim for D6071 when the record describes one of the others is not a technicality — it is the difference between a paid claim and a returned one.
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 D6071
What procedure is D6071?
Abutment-supported retainer, pfm fpd, noble metal. It belongs to the implant services section of the code set.
Is D6071 expensive?
$1,370–$3,190 is the realistic range before benefits. Your own share depends on your plan's percentage, deductible and remaining annual maximum.
Will my plan pay for D6071?
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 D6071 and D6070?
D6070 is abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD, base metal: it specifies porcelain fired over a base-metal core rather than porcelain fired over a noble-alloy 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.