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Last month, this month, and next month, I will focus on billing for orthodontic procedures. Each of these coding articles will consist of the different steps involved when billing for ortho.
What exactly is limited orthodontic treatment? Limited orthodontic treatment usually does not consist of tooth movement involving the maxillary and mandibular arch and may only involve minor or minimal therapy.
There are four types of limited orthodontic treatment descriptors, so there are four known ADA codes that can be used when reporting such treatments.
D8010—Limited orthodontic treatment of the primary dentition
This code is commonly used for children, and primary teeth are present and erupted.
D8020—Limited orthodontic treatment of the transitionaldentition
This code is commonly used for children who are in the process of losing their primary teeth and have some permanent teeth already present.
D8030—Limited orthodontic treatment of the adolescent dentition
This code is commonly used for young teenagers in whom the permanent teeth are fully present. But, due to their age, they are still undergoing bone growth, which could affect the upper and lower jaws.
D8040—Limited orthodontic treatment of the adult dentition
This code is commonly used for adults who are undergoing minor corrections and minimal movement.
Happy coding! Now, go save those teeth!
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