D2710 is the CDT code for a crown fabricated from resin-based composite material using an indirect method, meaning the crown is made outside the mouth in a laboratory or CAD/CAM workflow and then cemented onto a prepared natural tooth. The key distinction from D2740 is material: composite resin, not ceramic or porcelain.
Get help with D2710 claims →Last updated June 2026 · Reviewed by the PracticeAlpha billing team
When a full-coverage crown is indicated and the material chosen is resin-based composite (not ceramic, not porcelain). The fabrication must be indirect: lab or CAD/CAM milled from composite blocks.
Chairside CAD/CAM systems can mill composite resin blocks. If the milled material is composite resin (not e.Max, zirconia, or other ceramic), the crown is D2710. Verify the material before billing.
D2710 is for crowns on natural teeth. Implant-supported crowns use the D606X series. Bridge retainer crowns use D671X. Function and tooth status determine the right code.
Do NOT use D2710 for: Porcelain, ceramic, eMax, or zirconia crowns (use D2740). PFM crowns (use D2750 or D2751). Temporary or provisional crowns (use D2799). Implant crowns (use D6058 or D6065). Bridge retainer crowns (use D6710). Crowns on primary teeth have their own codes.
D2710 and D2740 are both indirect, tooth-colored full-coverage crowns, but the material is completely different. D2710 is composite resin. D2740 is ceramic or porcelain. Billing D2740 when the lab or milling system used composite resin is a coding error. The lab slip or milling block documentation should clearly identify the material. When claims are audited, material documentation is checked.
Some plans explicitly downgrade all-ceramic or zirconia crowns on posterior teeth to D2710 reimbursement rates. This isn't a denial. The claim is paid at D2710 instead of D2740. The patient owes the difference. This is different from the treatment situation where you genuinely place a composite crown and should bill D2710. Know which situation you're in before billing.
Crown replacement frequency limitations apply equally to D2710 as to other crown codes. Most plans limit crown replacement to once every five to seven years. If the patient had any crown code on the same tooth recently, the claim will be denied regardless of material. Check the patient history and pre-authorize when replacement is within the frequency window.
Many plans require pre-auth for crowns, including composite crowns under D2710. Skipping pre-auth and submitting after treatment risks denial or reduced payment. Submit pre-auth with a pre-operative radiograph and clinical notes identifying the need for full coverage. Wait for approval before treatment.
The lab slip, milling block documentation, or chart note should identify the material as resin-based composite. This is what distinguishes D2710 from D2740 on audit.
Shows the tooth condition and clinical indication for full coverage. Extent of decay, fracture, or post-endodontic status. The x-ray is the primary justification for any crown code.
Why does the tooth need a crown rather than a multi-surface filling? Describe the extent of destruction, fracture risk, or post-endo status. Be specific about why a full-coverage restoration is indicated.
D2710 is an indirect crown. Chairside CAD/CAM milling of composite counts as indirect. The chart or lab record should note that the crown was fabricated outside the mouth before cementation.
Check the patient's plan before treatment. Record the pre-auth approval number in the chart and include it on the claim. Don't start treatment without it when the plan requires it.
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Learn about our billing servicesD2710 is the CDT code for a crown fabricated from resin-based composite material using an indirect method. The crown is made outside the mouth in a lab or CAD/CAM workflow and then cemented onto a prepared natural tooth.
D2710 is a resin-based composite crown. D2740 is a ceramic or porcelain crown. Both are indirect and full-coverage, but the material is different. Most insurance plans reimburse D2740 at a higher rate than D2710.
D2710 is a permanent resin-based composite crown. D2799 is a provisional or temporary crown placed while the permanent crown is being fabricated. D2710 is the definitive final restoration.
Common reasons: material confusion with D2740, frequency limitations, missing pre-authorization, and insufficient documentation of the clinical need for full coverage.
Many plans require pre-auth for all crown codes including D2710. Check the patient's plan before starting treatment. Submit pre-auth with radiographs and clinical notes.
Yes, if the CEREC milling block material is resin-based composite. If the block is e.Max, zirconia, or other ceramic, the correct code is D2740. The material of the block determines the code, not the technology used.
Search all CDT codes in our dental coding guide.