D6072 — Abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD (high noble)
One of the codes covering the retainer units of a bridge supported by implants rather than natural teeth. D6072 is the version in cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it.
One of 16 implant-supported bridge retainer codes. If you are trying to understand the treatment, start with the implant-supported bridge retainer guide; if you are trying to understand this line on your estimate, you are in the right place.
The sections below cover the conditions built into the code, what it tends to cost, what a dental plan is likely to pay, and where the line falls between this code and the ones next to it.
The conditions built into D6072
Material — cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it. This is a restoration cast in one piece from a gold-rich alloy, with nothing fired over it. Full-gold restorations remain, by a clear margin, the longest-lasting option in dentistry: the alloy wears at close to the rate of enamel, so it neither grinds down the opposing tooth nor dents, it is gentle at the margins, and it can be made in very thin section — meaning less tooth has to be removed than for any other crown. The only real objection to it is that it is gold-coloured. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D6072 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
How D6072 differs from its neighbours
D6071 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (noble metal): It specifies porcelain fired over a noble-alloy core rather than cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it.
D6073 — Abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD (base metal): It specifies cast predominantly base-metal alloy rather than cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it.
D6070 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (base metal): It specifies porcelain fired over a base-metal core rather than cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it.
D6074 — Abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD (noble metal): It specifies cast noble alloy, with no porcelain over it rather than cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it.
D6072 sits in a group of 16 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 D6072 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 D6072
What procedure is D6072?
D6072 is shorthand for abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD, high noble — the same five characters every practice and every insurer in the country uses for it.
What is the typical fee for D6072?
$1,610–$3,750 covers most of the country. Specialist practices and big-city addresses tend to sit in the upper half.
Will my plan pay for D6072?
It is generally a covered benefit in the major category, 0–50%. Frequency limits and waiting periods are the usual reasons a claim is refused.
What is the difference between D6072 and D6071?
D6071 is abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD, noble metal: it specifies porcelain fired over a noble-alloy core rather than cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it. Everything else about the appointment is identical, so the record has to show that one detail for D6072 to be the defensible code.
Also known as: implant bridge, implant retainer, implant supported FPD, multiple missing teeth.