Dental Glossary & ADA Codes

ADA & Dental Codes 

The ADA maintains the Current Dental Terminology (CDT) code set, which organizes dental procedures into categories like diagnostic, preventive, restorative, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery, orthodontics, and adjunctive services. Each procedure is identified by a unique fivecharacter code beginning with “D.” 

Overview of ADA CDT Codes 

The American Dental Association (ADA) publishes CDT codes annually to standardize dental billing, insurance claims, and recordkeeping. These codes are required for HIPAAcompliant electronic dental claims. 

Dental Code Categories 

Here are some representative examples from the official CDT listings: 

Diagnostic (D0100–D0999) 

• D0120 – Periodic oral evaluation (established patient) 
  Routine check-up for ongoing oral health, including caries, periodontal status, and hard/soft tissue. 

• D0140 – Limited oral evaluation (problem focused) 
  Exam for a specific dental issue, such as pain or trauma. 

• D0150 – Comprehensive oral evaluation (new/established patient) 
  Full-mouth exam including medical/dental history, charting, and risk assessment. 

• D0170 – Re-evaluation (post-op) 
  Follow-up exam after a completed treatment. 

• D0180 – Comprehensive periodontal evaluation 
  Detailed gum and bone assessment for patients with periodontal disease risk. 

Preventive (D1000–D1999) 

• D1110 – Prophylaxis (adult) 
  Professional cleaning for adults to remove plaque, calculus, and stains. 

• D1120 – Prophylaxis (child) 
  Same as above but for children. 

• D1206 – Fluoride varnish application 
  Topical fluoride applied to strengthen enamel and prevent cavities. 

• D1330 – Oral hygiene instructions 
  Education on brushing, flossing, and preventive care. 

• D1351 – Sealant (per tooth) 
  Resin applied to pits/fissures of teeth to prevent decay. 

Restorative (D2000–D2999) 

• D2140 – Amalgam restoration, one surface 
  Silver filling for a single surface of a tooth. 

• D2150 – Amalgam restoration, two surfaces 
  Filling for two surfaces using amalgam. 

• D2330 – Resin composite restoration, one surface (anterior) 
  Tooth-colored filling for front teeth. 

• D2391 – Resin composite restoration, one surface (posterior) 
  Tooth-colored filling for back teeth. 

• D2740 – Crown, porcelain/ceramic 
  Full coverage crown made entirely of ceramic. 

• D2750 – Crown, porcelain fused to high noble metal 
  Crown with porcelain exterior and metal substructure. 

Endodontics (D3000–D3999) 

• D3310 – Root therapy, anterior tooth 
  Cleaning and sealing canals in front teeth. 

• D3320 – Root canal therapy, bicuspid tooth 
  Same procedure for premolars. 

• D3330 – Root canal therapy, molar tooth 
  More complex due to multiple canals. 

• D3346 – Retreatment of previous root canal, anterior 
  Re-doing a failed root canal in a front tooth. 

• D3351 – Apexification/recalcification (initial visit) 
  Procedure to encourage root development in immature teeth. 

Periodontics (D4000–D4999) 

• D4341 – Scaling and root planing, per quadrant (4+ teeth) 
  Deep cleaning for multiple teeth in a quadrant. 

• D4342 – Scaling and root planing, per quadrant (1–3 teeth) 
  Same as above but limited to fewer teeth. 

• D4910 – Periodontal maintenance 
  Ongoing care after periodontal therapy. 

• D4210 – Gingivectomy/gingivoplasty (quadrant) 
  Removal or reshaping of gum tissue. 

• D4260 – Osseous surgery (quadrant) 
  Surgical reshaping of bone to reduce periodontal pockets. 

• D4346 – Scaling for gingivitis 

Scaling in presence of generalized moderate or severe gingival inflammation – full mouth, after oral evaluation. 

 Prosthodontics (D5000–D6999) 

• D5110 – Complete denture, maxillary 
  Full upper denture. 

• D5120 – Complete denture, mandibular 
  Full lower denture. 

• D5211 – Partial denture, maxillary (resin base) 
  Removable partial denture with resin base. 

• D6240 – Pontic, porcelain fused to high noble metal 
  Artificial tooth in a fixed bridge. 

• D6750 – Crown, porcelain fused to high noble metal (abutment) 
  Crown serving as support for a bridge. 

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (D7000–D7999) 

• D7140 – Extraction, erupted tooth/simple 
  Routine removal of a visible tooth. 

• D7210 – Surgical removal of erupted tooth 
  More complex extraction requiring surgical access. 

• D7220 – Removal of impacted tooth, soft tissue 
  Extraction of a tooth covered only by gum tissue. 

• D7230 – Removal of impacted tooth, partially bony 
  Tooth partially encased in bone. 

• D7240 – Removal of impacted tooth, completely bony 
  Tooth fully encased in bone. 

Orthodontics (D8000–D8999) 

• D8010 – Limited orthodontic treatment (primary dentition) 
  Braces or appliances for baby teeth. 

• D8020 – Limited orthodontic treatment (transitional dentition) 
  Treatment during mixed dentition stage. 

• D8080 – Comprehensive orthodontic treatment (child) 
  Full braces treatment for children. 

• D8090 – Comprehensive orthodontic treatment (adult) 
  Full braces treatment for adults. 

• D8680 – Orthodontic retention 
  Removal of appliances and construction of retainers. 

Adjunctive Services (D9000–D9999) 

• D9110 – Palliative treatment (minor procedure) 
  Temporary relief of pain, not definitive treatment. 

• D9222 – Deep sedation/first 15 minutes 
  Sedation services billed per time unit. 

• D9223 – Deep sedation/each additional 15 minutes 
  Continuation of sedation beyond initial period. 

• D9310 – Consultation (diagnostic service by another dentist/physician) 
  Professional consult outside the treating dentist. 

• D9992 – Case management (care coordination) 
  Managing patient care across providers.