Coding with Kyle: Billing for abutment-supported dental implant crowns

Read and print out these instructions for codes related to billing for abutment supported dental implant crowns so you can refer to them each time you have a question about these codes. 

D6058: Abutment-supported porcelain/ceramic crown

D6059: Abutment-supported porcelain fused to metal (high noble metal)

D6060: Abutment-supported porcelain fused to metal (base metal)

D6061: Abutment-supported porcelain fused to metal (noble metal)

The codes discussed are to be used only for abutment-supported implant crowns, meaning they should not be used when reporting a pontic crown. These codes are usually billed in conjunction with a custom (D6057) or prefabricated (D6056) implant abutment.

Submitting the claim with x-rays is not enough to facilitate coverage and payment.

• You will need to indicate on the claim the date of implant placement.
• Dental insurance companies will refer to the patient plan's limitations and exclusions when considering the dental claim.
• Many insurance plans will only cover this procedure 10+ years, per tooth.
• The claim date should coincide with the date of seating the crown,  not the date of impression.
• If reporting a restorative procedure on the same tooth and on the same day as implant placement, some insurance plans will deny payment for the crown.
• Pre-op and post-op x-rays must always accompany the claim form in addition to periodontal charting.

Kyle L. Summerford is a nationally recognized practice management guru, author, and lecturer. He is founder and president of Summerford Solutions Inc., and cofounder of Elitedentalclaims.com. Kyle also serves as editorial director of Dental Office Manager Digest e-newsletter. He lectures extensively to dentists and their staff on topics such as insurance coding and billing and useful practice management tips. Contact him at [email protected].