D6122 — Implant-supported retainer crown, full cast metal (noble alloys)
One of the codes covering the retainer units of a bridge supported by implants rather than natural teeth. D6122 is the version in cast noble alloy, with no porcelain over it.
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.
Everything below is specific to this code: what it pins down, what it is worth, how a payer handles it, and which codes it is not.
The specifics of D6122
Material — cast noble alloy, with no porcelain over it. A one-piece casting in a noble alloy — typically palladium-based — with no ceramic layer. It keeps most of the mechanical virtues of gold, particularly the ability to be finished to a very close margin and the low wear on the opposing tooth, at a lower metal cost. It is metal-coloured, so it is used where appearance does not matter and longevity does. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D6122 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
Coverage — full. The restoration wraps the whole circumference of the tooth, which is what holds a cracked or heavily restored tooth together rather than simply filling it.
Where the line falls between D6122 and the rest
D6121 — Implant-supported retainer crown, full cast metal (predominantly base alloys): It specifies cast predominantly base-metal alloy rather than cast noble alloy, with no porcelain over it.
D6123 — Implant-supported retainer crown, full cast metal (titanium and titanium alloys): It specifies titanium or a titanium alloy rather than cast noble alloy, with no porcelain over it.
D6120 — Implant-supported retainer crown, PFM (titanium and titanium alloys): It specifies porcelain fired over a titanium core rather than cast noble alloy, with no porcelain over it.
D6099 — Implant-supported retainer crown, PFM (noble alloys): It specifies porcelain fired over a noble-alloy core rather than cast noble alloy, with no porcelain over it.
D6122 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 D6122
What procedure is D6122?
D6122 records implant-supported retainer crown, full cast metal, noble alloys — one of the implant services codes.
Is D6122 expensive?
Expect $1,415–$3,305. Ask for the number in writing, because the code carries no fee of its own and every practice sets its own.
Does dental insurance cover D6122?
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 D6122 and D6121?
D6121 is implant-supported retainer crown, full cast metal, predominantly base alloys: it specifies cast predominantly base-metal alloy rather than cast noble alloy, with no porcelain over it. That one difference is the whole distinction; the chair time, the materials and the appointment sequence are the same either way.
Also known as: implant bridge, implant retainer, implant supported FPD, multiple missing teeth.