D5140 is the CDT code for an immediate complete denture for the mandibular arch. The full lower denture is built ahead of time and seated the same day the remaining lower teeth are removed, so the patient leaves with teeth. D5130 is the maxillary version of the same procedure.
Last updated June 2026 · Reviewed by the PracticeAlpha billing team
Use D5140 when delivering an immediate complete denture for the lower arch. The denture is fabricated before the remaining mandibular teeth are extracted and inserted the same day as the extractions. The patient is never without teeth. This is what separates an immediate denture from a conventional one.
Common clinical scenarios: A patient with failing or non-restorable lower teeth who wants to avoid an edentulous period. Advanced periodontal disease across the lower arch. A patient transitioning to full lower edentulism who needs a functional and aesthetic prosthesis on extraction day.
Do NOT use D5140 for: The upper arch (use D5130). A conventional lower denture made after healing (use D5120). A partial denture when natural teeth remain (use D5211 or D5213). A reline or repair of an existing denture (use the relevant D5700 to D5899 series code).
Click any code to see the difference.
Immediate complete denture for the lower arch. Placed the same day the remaining lower teeth are extracted. Lower arch only.
The same immediate procedure for the upper arch. Placed the same day the remaining upper teeth are removed. Upper arch only.
Billing tip: The arch is the only difference. If both arches get immediate dentures, you bill D5130 for the upper and D5140 for the lower as two separate procedures. Putting the wrong arch on the claim is a common and avoidable error.
An immediate denture only makes sense alongside same-day extractions. If the claim does not show the teeth being removed and the timing, the payer may question why an immediate code was used. Document the extracted teeth, the extraction date, and the denture delivery date together so the sequence is obvious.
Most plans cover a complete denture once every 5 to 7 years per arch. If the patient received a lower denture within that window, the claim is denied regardless of clinical need. Check the patient's denture history before treatment. If a replacement is genuinely needed, submit a narrative explaining why.
Many plans require pre-auth for complete dentures. Skipping it and submitting after delivery can lead to a denial or reduced reimbursement. Verify the requirement, submit the pre-auth with the planned extractions and radiographs, and wait for approval before scheduling delivery.
Billing D5140 for the upper arch, or billing the conventional code when the denture was immediate, triggers denials. D5140 is the lower immediate denture. The upper immediate is D5130 and the conventional lower is D5120. The arch and the timing both have to match the code on the claim.
Images showing the condition of the remaining lower teeth that justify extraction and a complete denture. The radiographs are the primary support for moving to a full lower prosthesis.
List the lower teeth being removed and the extraction date. Because the denture is immediate, the extraction and delivery happen on the same day. Make that timing explicit in the record.
Document why the remaining lower teeth are non-restorable and why an immediate denture was chosen. A short narrative tying the denture to the same-day extractions answers the most common payer question up front.
Confirm the prosthesis is mandibular. D5140 is the lower arch. If you are also placing an upper immediate denture, that is a separate D5130 claim line.
Check the patient's plan before treatment. Submit pre-auth with radiographs, the extraction plan, and the narrative. Record the pre-auth number and include it on the claim.
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Learn about our billing servicesD5140 is the CDT code for an immediate complete denture for the mandibular (lower) arch. It is the full lower denture fabricated in advance and placed the same day the remaining lower teeth are extracted, so the patient is never without a prosthesis.
D5140 is the immediate complete denture for the mandibular (lower) arch. D5130 is the immediate complete denture for the maxillary (upper) arch. Same procedure type, opposite arch. The arch determines which code to use.
D5140 is an immediate mandibular denture placed the same day teeth are removed. D5120 is a conventional mandibular denture made after the extraction sites have healed. Timing relative to extraction is the difference.
Common reasons: missing extraction documentation, frequency limitations on prior dentures, missing pre-authorization, no narrative tying the denture to same-day extractions, and arch or code mismatches between D5140 and D5130 or D5120.
No. D5140 covers the immediate denture itself. Post-placement adjustments, relines, and the eventual replacement after healing are separate codes. Plans often expect a reline within the first months as the ridge resorbs.
Many dental plans require pre-authorization for complete dentures. Verify the patient's plan before treatment and submit the pre-auth with the planned extractions, radiographs, and a narrative describing the immediate denture sequence.
Search all 206 CDT codes in our dental coding guide.