D6073 — Abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD (base metal)
One of the codes covering the retainer units of a bridge supported by implants rather than natural teeth. D6073 is the version in cast predominantly base-metal alloy.
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.
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.
What has to be true for D6073 to apply
Material — cast predominantly base-metal alloy. A single casting in a base-metal alloy, most often cobalt-chromium. It is the hardest of the cast alloys, which cuts both ways: it resists wear almost indefinitely, but it also wears the opposing natural tooth and is difficult to adjust or remove once cemented. It is the least expensive cast option and, for a molar out of sight, a reasonable one. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D6073 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
Not to be confused with
D6072 — Abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD (high noble): It specifies cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it rather than cast predominantly base-metal alloy.
D6074 — Abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD (noble metal): It specifies cast noble alloy, with no porcelain over it rather than cast predominantly base-metal alloy.
D6071 — Abutment-supported retainer, PFM FPD (noble metal): It specifies porcelain fired over a noble-alloy core rather than cast predominantly base-metal alloy.
D6075 — Implant-supported retainer, ceramic FPD: It specifies all-ceramic, with no metal underneath rather than cast predominantly base-metal alloy.
D6073 sits in a group of 16 codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. Reviewers compare the narrative against the code rather than the other way round, so the question worth asking is what the notes will say.
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 D6073
What procedure is D6073?
It is the implant services code for abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD, base metal, and it means that specific procedure and no other.
How much does D6073 cost?
Between $1,200–$2,800 in most practices — and that is the figure before any benefit is applied, not what you would pay at the desk.
Does dental insurance cover D6073?
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 D6073 and D6072?
D6072 is abutment-supported retainer, cast metal FPD, high noble: it specifies cast high noble alloy, with no porcelain over it rather than cast predominantly base-metal alloy. 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.