D3240 is the CDT code for pulpal therapy with a resorbable filling on a posterior primary tooth, excluding the final restoration. A pulpectomy on a posterior baby tooth where the canals are filled with a resorbable material so the tooth can still exfoliate naturally.
Last updated June 2026 · Reviewed by the PracticeAlpha billing team
Use D3240 when performing a pulpectomy on a posterior primary tooth with a resorbable canal filling. The defining features are the tooth type (primary, posterior), the procedure (full pulpal therapy reaching the canals), and the resorbable filling material that lets the tooth exfoliate on schedule. The final restoration is not included in this code.
Common clinical scenarios: An irreversibly inflamed or necrotic pulp in a primary molar where the tooth is being preserved as a space maintainer until exfoliation. A posterior baby tooth with deep decay reaching the pulp that needs full canal treatment rather than a pulpotomy. Treatment that keeps the primary tooth functional until the permanent successor erupts.
Do NOT use D3240 for: Anterior primary teeth (use D3230). Therapeutic pulpotomy that treats only the coronal pulp (use D3220). Permanent teeth, which use the standard endodontic root canal codes. The final crown or filling, which is billed with the appropriate restorative code.
Click any code to see the difference.
Pulpal therapy with a resorbable filling on a posterior primary tooth, typically a baby molar. Same pulpectomy procedure, posterior location.
The identical pulpal therapy with a resorbable filling, but on an anterior primary tooth such as a baby incisor or canine. Location is the only difference from D3240.
Billing tip: Tooth location picks the code. A baby molar pulpectomy is D3240. A baby incisor or canine pulpectomy is D3230. The procedure is the same, so the tooth number on the claim must match the anterior or posterior code you select.
Some plans will not pay for pulpal therapy on a primary tooth that is close to falling out. If the radiograph shows advanced root resorption and the permanent successor is about to erupt, the payer may consider treatment unnecessary and deny the claim. Document the developmental stage and why preserving the tooth is still indicated.
A pre-operative radiograph showing the tooth, the extent of decay or pathology, and the root status is the baseline justification. Without it, the payer cannot confirm that the tooth was treatable and worth preserving. Include the periapical image that supports the diagnosis and the choice of pulpectomy.
D3240 is specifically a posterior primary tooth. Billing it for an anterior primary tooth (which is D3230) or for a permanent tooth creates a mismatch with the tooth number on the claim. Confirm the tooth is primary, posterior, and matches the code before submitting.
If the note describes a coronal pulpotomy but the claim says D3240, the codes conflict. D3220 is the pulpotomy and D3240 is the full pulpectomy. Payers reviewing the chart will deny when the documented procedure does not match the billed level of treatment. The note must describe canal treatment for D3240.
Periapical image of the posterior primary tooth showing decay extent, pulpal involvement, root structure, and the stage of root resorption. This supports the diagnosis and shows the tooth is worth preserving.
Record the tooth number and confirm it is a primary posterior tooth. The tooth designation on the claim must match the anterior or posterior pediatric pulpal code being billed.
Document that the full pulp was removed and the canals were filled with a resorbable material. The note should make clear this was a pulpectomy, not a coronal pulpotomy, so the level of treatment matches D3240.
State why pulpal therapy and preservation were chosen over extraction. Space maintenance, the timeline until the permanent successor erupts, and the diagnosis of irreversible pulpitis or necrosis support the treatment decision.
D3240 excludes the final restoration. Document and bill the crown or filling separately with the appropriate restorative code. Do not assume the pulpal therapy fee covers the final restoration.
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Learn about our billing servicesD3240 is the CDT code for pulpal therapy using a resorbable filling on a posterior primary tooth, excluding the final restoration. It describes a pulpectomy on a posterior baby tooth where the canals are filled with a resorbable material.
D3240 is pulpal therapy on a posterior primary tooth. D3230 is the same procedure on an anterior primary tooth. The procedure is the same pulpectomy with a resorbable filling, but the tooth location determines which code applies.
D3240 is a pulpectomy that treats the entire pulp, including the canals, with a resorbable filling. D3220 is a therapeutic pulpotomy that removes only the coronal pulp and leaves the radicular pulp intact. D3240 is the more extensive procedure.
No. D3240 excludes the final restoration. The crown or filling placed after the pulpal therapy is billed separately with the appropriate restorative code, such as a stainless steel crown or a resin restoration.
Common reasons: the tooth being near exfoliation, missing radiographic support, the tooth being permanent rather than primary, and confusion between pulpotomy and pulpectomy codes on the claim.
Yes. D3240 applies to primary teeth, which are baby teeth, in the posterior region. Pulpal therapy with a resorbable filling is designed for primary teeth because the resorbable material allows the tooth to exfoliate naturally. Permanent teeth use different endodontic codes.
Search all 206 CDT codes in our dental coding guide.