The ADA will broaden its definition of porcelain/ceramic materials in its Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (CDT Code) for insurance reimbursement, in response to requests from 3M ESPE and others in the dental community.
The move allows 3M ESPE Lava Ultimate restorative to be classified as a porcelain/ceramic, according to the company. The change will be effective January 1, 2013, making it possible for dentists who use the material to file for insurance reimbursement, including using CDT code D2740 for crowns.
At the time the material was introduced, the ADA's CDT Code did not yet reflect the advances in material science that Lava Ultimate restorative represents, resulting in challenges with selecting the proper code for insurance reimbursement, according to the ADA. With this change, Lava Ultimate restorative will fall under any CDT code defined for ceramics, allowing for the same rate of reimbursement as other ceramic materials.
The new CDT Code definition reads:
Porcelain/ceramic: Refers to the pressed, fired, polished or milled materials containing predominantly inorganic refractory compounds -- including porcelains, glasses, ceramics and glass-ceramics.
