Create account

Published September 2026

1 of 6The tooth is gone and the socket has healed. Bone is solid underneath
  1. The tooth is gone and the socket has healed. Bone is solid underneath
  2. Numbed. A small opening is made through the gum and drilled into the bone
  3. The titanium post is screwed in until it sits just below the gum
  4. Bone grows onto the threads over months. Nothing shows above the gum
  5. A connector is screwed into the post
  6. The crown is fixed on top. It is cleaned like any other tooth

Who usually does it

oral surgeon. Placed by an oral surgeon, periodontist, or a general dentist with implant training. The crown is often done by the general dentist.

One question worth asking

How many months between the post and the crown, and what do I wear in the meantime?

Temporary implant

Implants and bridgesMajorD6012

D6012. A short-term implant placed to hold a temporary tooth or denture during healing.

An implant is a titanium post placed in the jawbone to act as a new tooth root. After it heals, a crown, bridge or denture attaches to it. These codes cover the surgery to place the post and the second small surgery to uncover it. The crown is billed separately.

The post goes into the jawbone through a small opening in the gum, and then it is left alone for months while bone grows tight against it. A second short visit may be needed to uncover the top once it has healed. The connector and the crown that go on afterwards are separate codes and separate visits. Most plans file this as Major. What they actually pay varies by plan.

Codes for this

D6010MajorImplant placementThe surgery that places the titanium post in the jaw; the main implant code.per tooth · Done oftenD6011MajorUncovering a healed implantA small second surgery to expose the implant after it has healed under the gum.per tooth · Done sometimesD6012MajorTemporary implantA short-term implant placed to hold a temporary tooth or denture during healing.per tooth · Rarely doneD6013MajorMini implantA narrower post, often used to hold a lower denture.per tooth · Done sometimesD6040MajorImplant frame on top of the boneAn older style frame that rests on the jawbone instead of going into it; rarely used today.per arch · Rarely doneD6050MajorImplant through the jawboneAn older style that passes through the lower jaw; rarely used today.per arch · Rarely doneD6104MajorBone graft at the time of implant surgeryBone material added around the implant during the same surgery.per tooth · Done sometimesD6190Not usually coveredSurgical guide for implant placementA custom guide made from a 3D scan that shows the surgeon exactly where to place the implant.per visit · Done sometimes

Related

Have this on your plan?

Upload it or type the lines. We read it and show what happened to other patients. Free, no account.

Check the estimate I gotFind a dentist who does this
No dental office can pay to change what we show you.
Temporary implant (D6012): what happens, step by step | TruthMolar