CDT Codes for Dental Lab Work: 2026 Cheat Sheet for Crowns, Bridges, Implants and Dentures

The lab invoice says "zirconia, full contour," but the claim goes out as a PFM crown because that was the software default. Or a bridge is billed as three single crowns, or a crown on the prep date when the payer pays only on the seat date. Each mismatch between the lab work and the claim can mean a denial, a records request or a refund later.

This cheat sheet lists the CDT codes most often tied to lab work, with our own plain-English labels, the rules that decide which code fits, and the mistakes to avoid.

Quick Answer

Most lab work maps to a short list of CDT codes chosen by restoration type, material and, for metal, alloy class: D2740 for ceramic and zirconia crowns, D2750 to D2753 for PFMs, D6058 or D6065 for ceramic implant crowns, D6740 and D6245 for ceramic bridge units, D5110 to D5226 for dentures and partials, and D9944 to D9946 for guards. There is no separate lab fee code. Bill on the seat or delivery date unless the payer says otherwise.

Which CDT Version Applies, and What Changed?

CDT 2026 took effect on January 1, 2026, with 60 changes: 31 new codes, 14 revisions, 6 deletions and 9 editorial changes. Two additions involve lab-made appliances: D5877 and D5878 for a duplicate (backup) complete denture, upper and lower, and D9936 for cleaning and inspecting a patient's existing guard. Delta Dental says these new codes are not a benefit of most of its plans.

Lab-related additions for 2027 include codes for removing a screw-retained implant restoration so the implant can be treated, placing a healing cap, and interim implant-retained fixed dentures for a partially edentulous arch. The new numbers appear in the CDT 2027 manual.

The version matters because HIPAA requires the code from the CDT version in effect on the date of service. A crown prepped in December 2026 and cemented in January 2027 is coded from CDT 2027 if your payer dates it by cementation.

A note on the codes: the CDT Code is copyrighted by the ADA, and the labels below are our own short summaries, not ADA wording. The full entries in the current CDT manual decide which code fits, and the ADA warns that practice software routinely truncates them.

CDT Codes for Lab Work: The Cheat Sheet

Crowns, inlays, onlays and veneers

Bridges

Implants and provisionals

Dentures, partials and relines

Guards, sleep and whitening appliances

Is There a CDT Code for the Lab Fee?

No. The CDT Code has no stand-alone code for a laboratory charge, and it contains no fees at all. The lab invoices the practice; the practice reports its own full fee for the procedure. The lab bill is part of the practice's cost of that procedure, not a separate line on the claim.

The lab paperwork still matters: New York Medicaid expects lab prescriptions and invoices in the patient record, and requires lab receipts with occlusal guard claims unless the guard was made in-house.

How Do You Match the Code to the Lab Invoice?

Answer three questions from the Rx and invoice: What was made (single crown, bridge unit, implant crown, abutment, denture, appliance)? What is it made of (ceramic, including zirconia and e.max; metal-ceramic; all-metal; titanium)? And for metal, which alloy class?

The CDT metal codes use the same class names. Trade terms such as "precious," "semi-precious" and "non-precious" are not ADA classes, so ask the lab for the noble metal content when the invoice uses them. A 40% gold alloy is high noble only if its total noble content reaches 60%.

Prep Date or Seat Date: When Do You Bill?

The ADA claim form allows multi-visit procedures to be reported as in progress or completed, so the payer's rules decide. Delta Dental of Colorado says the date of service for crowns and fixed and removable prosthetics is the cementation or delivery date, and that Delta Dental pays only for completed services. For dentures, it tells offices not to use the prep, impression or lab date, because the insertion date may change eligibility. New York Medicaid also uses the date the work is completed and delivered.

If a patient never returns for the seat, check the payer's interrupted-treatment rule. New York Medicaid, for example, allows a crown to be billed under D2999, dated to the prep and final impression visit, in limited cases such as lost eligibility; those claims are reviewed manually.

For replacements, the ADA claim form asks for the prior placement date; Delta Dental's crown checklist adds dated periapicals showing the full tooth and apex.

How Are Guards, Sleep Appliances and Whitening Trays Coded?

Night guards. The ADA says a guard with any hard occlusal component, even with a soft inner layer, is reported as hard. Guard codes are not for sleep apnea, snoring or TMD appliances; Medicare's policy codes TMJ occlusal appliances as D7880.

Sleep apnea appliances. On a dental claim, use D9947. Medicare covers a custom mandibular advancement device as medical equipment under E0486 when there is an in-person evaluation, a qualifying sleep test, an order from the treating practitioner (not a dentist, under this policy), and a licensed dentist provides and bills the device. The product must pass Medicare's PDAC coding verification, and Medicare does not cover snoring-only appliances.

Whitening trays. D9975 is take-home whitening per arch, trays included. The ADA cites bleaching as a service whose coverage varies by plan, so verify benefits first.

Which Coding Mistakes Should the Front Desk Avoid?

For the clinical side of getting crowns right the first time, see Crown Remakes: Causes and Prevention.

Elegant Dental Laboratory

We are a full-service dental lab at 2308 McDonald Ave in Brooklyn, New York, founded in 2007 by Gary Fingerman. More than 35 technicians make every case in our 7,000 sq. ft. facility, with no outsourcing.

• What we make: zirconia, IPS e.max, PFM in base and precious alloys, implant restorations (screw-retained and cement-retained, custom screw-retained abutments, full-arch), provisionals, dentures and removables, clear aligners, and orthodontic appliances including night guards, anti-snoring devices and bleaching trays.
• Turnaround and warranty: 5 business days standard on most restorative cases, with rush options; up to a 7-year warranty on final restorations and up to 20 years on screw-retained implant abutments. See policies and warranties.
• Getting cases to us: digital scans are reviewed before production (submit a digital case). Our own drivers pick up cases in the New York area (call to confirm availability), and we provide UPS shipping labels for practices anywhere. Send a case or call 877-335-5221.

Related Guides

• Dental Insurance Then and Now: From a 1954 Union Plan to the $1,500 Maximum
• The Dental Practice Squeeze: What the Numbers Say About 2026
• Maryland Bridges in 2026: Zirconia Cantilevers, Metal Wings and What the Evidence Says

FAQ

Is there a CDT code for a dental lab fee?

No. The lab bills the practice, and the practice reports its own fee for the procedure.

What CDT code is a zirconia crown?

On a natural tooth, D2740, the ceramic crown code. Implant crowns and bridge units have their own codes. Confirm payer policy.

Do we bill a crown on the prep date or the seat date?

Delta Dental and New York Medicaid both use the completion date, which for a crown is the cementation date. Check each payer's rules.

What is the difference between D2750, D2751 and D2752?

The alloy under the porcelain: D2750 is high noble, D2752 is noble and D2751 is predominantly base.

Where can we get official coding help?

The ADA helps members and non-members who bought the current manual: 800-621-8099 or dentalcode@ada.org.

Reviewed by Gary Fingerman, founder and CEO of Elegant Dental Laboratory, Brooklyn, New York (founded 2007). Last reviewed: September 27, 2026. CDT codes are listed by number with our own plain-English labels; CDT is a trademark of the American Dental Association, which holds the copyright to the CDT Code. The current CDT manual from the ADA is the authoritative source, codes change every year, and payer policies vary.