D6740 — Bridge retainer crown — porcelain/ceramic
A retainer is the crown at the end of a bridge, cemented onto a natural tooth. D6740 is the version in all-ceramic, with no metal underneath.
two codes describe bridge retainer crown, and this is one of them. What separates it from the other one is the subject of this page; the bridge retainer crown guide covers the treatment itself.
Three things matter when this code turns up on paperwork: what it obliges the practice to have actually done, what it is worth, and which nearby code it is not. All three are set out below.
The specifics of D6740
Material — all-ceramic, with no metal underneath. An all-ceramic restoration is milled or pressed as a single piece of ceramic — most often zirconia or lithium disilicate today — with nothing metallic inside it. Because light passes through it the way it passes through enamel, it is the most convincing material available in the front of the mouth, and there is no grey line at the gum to appear as the gum recedes. Modern zirconia is also strong enough for molars, which was not true of the earlier ceramics. The material is part of the code rather than a choice made afterwards, so D6740 is only the right code if that is what was actually used.
D6740 against the codes beside it
D6750 — Bridge retainer crown — porcelain fused to metal: It specifies porcelain fired over a metal core rather than all-ceramic, with no metal underneath.
That code and D6740 are the whole group — nothing else in the code set describes this procedure. The practical point: confirm which of these is going on the claim before treatment, not after. Corrections after submission mean a resubmission, a delay, and occasionally a fee you did not expect.
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.
| Code | Procedure |
|---|---|
| D6740 | Bridge retainer crown — porcelain/ceramic — this page |
| D6750 | Bridge retainer crown — porcelain fused to metal |
Questions about D6740
What is D6740 on my dental bill?
D6740 is shorthand for bridge retainer crown, porcelain/ceramic — the same five characters every practice and every insurer in the country uses for it.
What should I expect to pay for D6740?
Between $1,100–$2,550 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 D6740?
Plans generally pay it as major prosthodontic treatment, typically 50%, subject to whatever is left of your maximum for the year.
What is the difference between D6740 and D6750?
D6750 is bridge retainer crown, porcelain fused to metal: it specifies porcelain fired over a metal core rather than all-ceramic, with no metal underneath. 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: bridge retainer, abutment crown, fixed bridge, bridge anchor.