Veneers can be made of different materials, but resin or porcelain/ceramic are the most common types. They can also be fabricated chairside using resin materials, or by sending the case to a laboratory for fabrication by a dental lab technician. There are multiple codes associated with the different treatments, and this can often lead to confusion on which code to submit to dental insurance plans for reporting purposes. It’s important to be aware that although dental insurance plans may not cover the treatment for your patient, you are required to report the correct code.
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Codes for common types of veneers
D2960: Labial veneer (resin laminate) direct
This code is used to report chairside (direct) fabricated resin veneers placed on the labial surface of the tooth. You may be familiar with the term “bonding,” as this code applies to such treatments. A resin veneer is fabricated to treat chipped/fractured, discolored teeth and is usually less costly than a porcelain/ceramic veneer. This code should be reported per tooth number and should not be used when reporting porcelain/ceramic-made veneers.
D2961: Labial veneer (resin laminate) indirect
This code is used to report laboratory (indirect) resin-fabricated veneers. The doctor preps the teeth and requests a resin material from the laboratory instead of a more costly material such as porcelain/ceramic. This code should not be used when reporting porcelain/ceramic-fabricated veneers or CAD/CAM. A resin veneer is fabricated by the dental lab to treat chipped/fractured, discolored teeth and is usually less costly than a porcelain/ceramic veneer
D2962: Labial veneer (porcelain laminate) indirect
This code is used to report porcelain/ceramic lab-fabricated veneers. Veneers can be fabricated using CAD/CAM technology or by a dental technician at a dental laboratory. Porcelain/ceramic veneers are the most common treatment for enhancing a patient's smile and are usually not a covered benefit.
In most cases, veneers are considered cosmetic, and thus not covered. It may be possible to request an appeal should you be able to demonstrate the need for the veneer(s) and how they provide a less invasive treatment (for example, as opposed to placing a crown). In some cases, payment for a crown can be considered an alternate benefit. It is important to document and send photographic evidence along with a narrative explaining the necessity and why a full-coverage crown would not be beneficial to the patient.
