D8680 is the CDT code for orthodontic retention, including removal of the active appliances and the construction and placement of the retainer or retainers. It represents the retention phase that follows active orthodontic treatment and holds the teeth in their corrected position.
Last updated June 2026 · Reviewed by the PracticeAlpha billing team
Use D8680 when active orthodontic treatment is complete and the case moves into retention. The braces or aligners have done their work, the teeth are in the corrected position, and the focus shifts to holding that result. D8680 covers this retention phase.
D8680 includes removing the active appliances and the construction and placement of the retainer or retainers. Whether the retainer is removable or fixed, the retention phase code captures the work of transitioning the patient out of active appliances and into retainers.
Active treatment visits and adjustments belong under the active treatment codes. Periodic orthodontic treatment visits use D8670. The comprehensive active case for adults uses D8090. D8680 is reserved for the retention phase, not the active correction.
Click any code to see the difference.
The retention phase after active treatment. Includes removal of appliances and placement of retainers. Billed once at the end to hold the corrected position.
A periodic orthodontic treatment visit during the active phase. Often billed as ongoing adjustment installments while the appliances are actively moving the teeth.
Billing tip: D8670 is active phase, D8680 is retention. Many plans pay active treatment in installments under D8670 and then expect D8680 at the end. Billing retention before the active visits are complete signals a sequencing error.
Orthodontic benefits often carry a lifetime maximum. If active treatment used up that maximum, there is nothing left to pay toward retention. The denial reflects an exhausted benefit, not a problem with the procedure. Track the remaining ortho maximum across the case.
Many plans consider retention part of the comprehensive orthodontic case fee. When retention is bundled into D8080 or D8090, billing D8680 separately gets denied as inclusive. Confirm whether the plan pays retention on its own line before submitting it.
The retention phase should connect to a completed active case. If the documentation does not show the original comprehensive treatment, the payer cannot confirm the retention is a legitimate continuation. Reference the active case and its completion in the record.
Some plans limit orthodontic benefits by age. If the patient falls outside the covered age range, retention is denied along with the rest of the ortho benefit. Verify age eligibility during benefit verification and inform the patient of any responsibility.
Document that active orthodontic treatment is complete and the case has moved into retention. Reference the original comprehensive case so the payer can confirm the retention follows it.
Note the removal of the active appliances and the construction and placement of the retainer or retainers. Specify whether the retainers are removable or fixed.
Verify the remaining orthodontic lifetime maximum and whether retention is separately payable or bundled into the case fee. Record the findings before billing.
Confirm the patient is within any orthodontic age limit the plan applies. Note coverage details so any patient responsibility is communicated up front.
Use the date the appliances were removed and retainers placed. The retention phase is billed at the end of active treatment, so the date should reflect that transition.
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Learn about our billing servicesD8680 is the CDT code for orthodontic retention, which includes removal of the active appliances and the construction and placement of the retainer or retainers. It marks the retention phase that follows active orthodontic treatment.
D8670 is a periodic orthodontic treatment visit during the active phase, often billed as ongoing adjustment installments. D8680 is the retention phase, including removal of appliances and placement of retainers after active treatment is complete.
D8090 is comprehensive orthodontic treatment of the adult dentition, the full active case. D8680 is only the retention phase that comes after active treatment, covering appliance removal and retainer placement, not the active correction itself.
Common reasons include orthodontic benefits being exhausted by the lifetime maximum, retention not being a separately covered benefit because it is bundled into the comprehensive case fee, missing tie to the original active treatment, and plan age limitations.
Yes. D8680 includes the construction and placement of the retainer or retainers along with removal of the active appliances. It represents the retention phase as a whole rather than a separate charge for each component.
D8680 is billed at the end of active treatment when the braces or aligners are removed and retainers are placed. It is the final retention phase code, billed after the active treatment visits are complete.
Search all 206 CDT codes in our dental coding guide.