What D7220 means

D7220 covers the removal of an impacted tooth — soft tissue. "D" is dental, "72" is the surgical-extractions group of oral surgery, and "20" is this soft-tissue impaction. An impacted tooth is one that hasn't fully erupted (emerged) into its normal position — it's blocked or positioned such that it remains partly or fully below the gum/bone (commonly wisdom teeth/third molars, which often become impacted). Impacted teeth are classified by what covers them. A soft-tissue impaction (D7220) is when the tooth's occlusal (biting) surface is covered by soft tissue (gum) — but not by bone; removing it requires raising a mucoperiosteal flap (lifting the gum) to access and remove the tooth. So it's removing an impacted tooth that's covered by gum tissue (not bone).

So it's the surgical removal of a soft-tissue-impacted tooth — one covered by gum (not bone) — requiring lifting the gum to remove it.

The impacted-tooth removal codes are tiered by the degree of impaction (what covers the tooth): soft tissue (D7220, covered by gum only — the least complex), partially bony (D7230, part of the crown covered by bone), completely bony (D7240, fully covered by bone — the most complex), and completely bony with unusual complications (D7241). So D7220 is the least complex impacted-tooth removal — the tooth being covered only by soft tissue (gum), requiring a flap but not bone removal (or only minimal). This is commonly used for impacted wisdom teeth that are covered by gum tissue. Removing impacted teeth (especially wisdom teeth) is a common oral surgery procedure, done to address or prevent problems (pain, infection, crowding, cysts, damage to adjacent teeth). Coverage is under oral surgery benefits; documentation supports the claim.

When it's typically used

D7220 is reported for the removal of a soft-tissue impacted tooth — extracting an impacted tooth (one that hasn't fully erupted) whose biting surface is covered by soft tissue (gum) but not bone, requiring raising a soft-tissue flap to remove it. It's the least complex impacted-tooth removal (commonly for impacted wisdom teeth covered by gum), distinct from bony impactions (D7230/D7240).

How much does D7220 cost?

Removing a soft-tissue impacted tooth is a moderate-to-significant fee, often roughly 250 to 500 USD per tooth depending on region — for the surgical removal of the gum-covered impacted tooth (the least complex impaction). Bony impactions (D7230/D7240) cost more (greater complexity). For multiple impacted wisdom teeth, the cost multiplies (each coded).

Is D7220 covered by insurance?

Covered under oral surgery benefits as an impacted-tooth removal. Documentation of the impaction (soft-tissue type — the tooth covered by gum) supports the claim and the coding. The impaction codes are tiered by degree (soft tissue D7220, partially bony D7230, completely bony D7240) — coding by the actual degree of impaction matters. Sedation/anesthesia, if used, may be coded separately. Verifying coverage helps.

What an impacted tooth is

An impacted tooth hasn't fully erupted, and understanding this clarifies what this procedure removes.

Normally, teeth erupt (emerge through the gum into the mouth) into their proper position. An impacted tooth is one that hasn't fully erupted — it's blocked, obstructed, or positioned such that it remains partly or fully beneath the gum and/or bone, unable to come into its normal position. Impaction commonly affects wisdom teeth (third molars) — the last teeth to erupt, which often lack space or are angled wrongly, so they frequently become impacted (a very common situation). Other teeth (e.g., canines) can also become impacted. An impacted tooth can cause problems — pain, infection (e.g., pericoronitis, infection around a partially-erupted tooth), crowding or pressure on adjacent teeth, cysts, or damage to neighboring teeth — or it may be removed preventively (to avoid such problems). So an impacted tooth is one stuck below the gum/bone, often warranting removal.

Impacted teeth are classified by the degree of impaction — what covers the tooth (soft tissue, or bone, and how much). This classification (discussed in the next section) determines the removal code and reflects the complexity. A soft-tissue impaction (this code, D7220) is the least deeply impacted (covered by gum only). Removing impacted teeth (especially wisdom teeth) is a common oral surgery procedure. The dentist/oral surgeon assesses an impacted tooth and removes it when warranted. For patients, understanding what an impacted tooth is — one that hasn't fully erupted, remaining beneath the gum/bone (commonly wisdom teeth) — clarifies what this procedure removes. It's a stuck tooth, often warranting removal. The dentist removes it when warranted. Understanding this helps patients see that an impacted tooth is one that hasn't fully erupted into position (remaining beneath the gum and/or bone, commonly a wisdom tooth) — which can cause problems (pain, infection, crowding, cysts, or damage to other teeth) or be removed preventively — with the removal classified by the degree of impaction, and this code (D7220) being for the least deeply impacted (soft-tissue) type.

Soft-tissue impaction: covered by gum

A soft-tissue impaction is covered by gum, and understanding this clarifies this specific type.

A soft-tissue impaction (D7220) is the type where the impacted tooth's occlusal (biting) surface is covered by soft tissue (gum) — but not by bone. So the tooth has erupted enough to be near the surface (under the gum), with its biting surface covered by gum tissue, but it hasn't fully come through the gum, and it's not covered by bone (the bone isn't over it). To remove it, the dentist raises a mucoperiosteal flap (lifts the gum tissue covering the tooth) to access the tooth, and then removes it. Because the tooth is covered only by soft tissue (not bone), removing it is the least complex of the impacted-tooth removals — requiring the flap (to get past the gum) but little or no bone removal.

So a soft-tissue impaction is relatively superficial — the tooth covered by gum, accessed by lifting the gum. This is common for wisdom teeth that have partially come up but are still covered by gum tissue (a flap of gum over the tooth). Removing such a tooth involves the flap and then the extraction (which may involve some sectioning of the tooth, but the defining feature is the soft-tissue covering, not bone). The soft-tissue impaction being the least deeply impacted, its removal is the least complex (and lowest-fee) of the impaction codes. The dentist removes a soft-tissue impacted tooth by lifting the gum and extracting it. For patients, understanding that a soft-tissue impaction is one covered by gum (not bone), removed by lifting the gum, clarifies this specific type. The tooth is under the gum, accessed by a flap. The dentist removes it. Understanding this helps patients see that a soft-tissue impaction (D7220) is an impacted tooth covered by gum tissue (but not bone) — the least deeply impacted type — removed by raising a soft-tissue flap (lifting the gum) to access and extract the tooth, requiring little or no bone removal, the least complex of the impacted-tooth removals, commonly for a wisdom tooth covered by a flap of gum.

The tiered impaction codes

Impaction removal codes are tiered by degree, and understanding this clarifies the coding.

The removal of impacted teeth is coded by the degree of impaction — how deeply the tooth is impacted (what covers it) — in a tiered structure reflecting increasing complexity. Soft-tissue impaction (D7220, this code): the tooth's occlusal surface is covered by soft tissue (gum) only — the least deeply impacted, requiring a flap but little/no bone removal (the least complex, lowest fee). Partially bony impaction (D7230): part of the crown is covered by bone — requiring a flap and some bone removal (more complex than soft tissue). Completely bony impaction (D7240): the tooth is completely covered by bone — requiring a flap and more extensive bone removal (the most complex of the standard impaction codes, highest fee). Completely bony with unusual complications (D7241): a completely bony impaction with unusual surgical complications (e.g., difficult position, proximity to nerves) — the most complex. So the codes tier from soft-tissue (least) to completely bony with complications (most), by the degree of impaction.

This tiering reflects that a more deeply impacted tooth (covered by more bone) is more complex to remove (requiring more bone removal, more time, more difficulty), so it's coded (and reimbursed) at a higher tier. The dentist codes by the actual degree of impaction (what covers the tooth — gum, partial bone, full bone), determined from the X-ray and the clinical assessment. Coding the correct degree matters for accurate billing and reimbursement (a more impacted tooth being a more complex procedure). So D7220 specifically is for the soft-tissue (gum-covered) impaction. The dentist uses the code matching the degree of impaction. For patients, understanding that the impaction codes are tiered by degree (soft tissue, partially bony, completely bony) clarifies the coding. The code reflects how deeply the tooth is impacted. The dentist codes by the degree. Understanding this helps patients see that impacted-tooth removals are coded by the degree of impaction — soft-tissue (D7220, gum-covered, least complex), partially bony (D7230), completely bony (D7240, most complex) — reflecting the increasing complexity of removing a more deeply impacted tooth, with this code (D7220) being for the least deeply impacted (soft-tissue) type, and the dentist coding by the actual degree of impaction.

Removing impacted wisdom teeth

Impacted wisdom teeth are commonly removed, and understanding this clarifies a common context.

The most common context for impacted-tooth removal is wisdom teeth (third molars). Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt (typically in the late teens or early twenties), and they often lack adequate space or are positioned/angled wrongly, so they frequently become impacted (unable to fully erupt). Impacted wisdom teeth are commonly removed — either because they're causing problems or to prevent anticipated problems. Reasons to remove impacted wisdom teeth include: pain or infection (an impacted or partially-erupted wisdom tooth can cause pain, or infection like pericoronitis around the partially-erupted tooth); crowding or pressure (pushing on adjacent teeth); difficulty cleaning (a partially-erupted wisdom tooth is hard to clean, prone to decay and gum problems); cysts or other pathology (an impacted tooth can develop a cyst); damage to adjacent teeth; or preventively (removing them before problems develop, a common recommendation in many cases). So removing impacted wisdom teeth is a common procedure.

A soft-tissue impacted wisdom tooth (covered by gum, this code D7220) is one degree of wisdom-tooth impaction (others being partially or completely bony). The removal is a common oral surgery procedure (general dentists or oral surgeons). Often multiple wisdom teeth are removed (sometimes all four), each coded by its degree of impaction; sedation/anesthesia may be used (and coded separately). After removal, there's aftercare and healing (similar to other surgical extractions). The dentist/oral surgeon removes impacted wisdom teeth when warranted. For patients, understanding that impacted wisdom teeth are commonly removed — for problems or preventively — clarifies a common context for this code. Wisdom teeth often become impacted and are removed. The dentist removes them when warranted. Understanding this helps patients see that this code (D7220) is commonly used for impacted wisdom teeth covered by gum tissue — wisdom teeth often becoming impacted (lacking space) and being removed for problems (pain, infection, crowding, cysts) or preventively — a common oral surgery procedure, with the soft-tissue impaction (gum-covered) being one degree of impaction (removed by lifting the gum), and multiple wisdom teeth often removed together (each coded by its degree).

Frequently asked questions

What is the D7220 dental code?

It's the removal of a soft-tissue impacted tooth — extracting an impacted tooth (one that hasn't fully erupted) whose biting surface is covered by soft tissue (gum) but not bone, requiring raising a soft-tissue flap to remove it. It's the least complex impacted-tooth removal, commonly for impacted wisdom teeth covered by gum.

What is an impacted tooth?

A tooth that hasn't fully erupted into its normal position — blocked or positioned such that it remains partly or fully beneath the gum and/or bone (commonly wisdom teeth). It can cause problems (pain, infection, crowding, cysts, damage to other teeth) or be removed preventively.

What is a soft-tissue impaction?

An impacted tooth whose biting surface is covered by soft tissue (gum) but not bone — the least deeply impacted type. It's removed by raising a soft-tissue flap (lifting the gum) to access and extract the tooth, requiring little or no bone removal. Common for a wisdom tooth covered by a flap of gum.

How is it different from a bony impaction?

A soft-tissue impaction (D7220) is covered by gum only (least complex). A partially bony impaction (D7230) has part of the crown covered by bone; a completely bony impaction (D7240) is fully covered by bone (most complex). The codes tier by how deeply the tooth is impacted (what covers it).

How much does it cost?

Often around 250 to 500 USD per tooth for the surgical removal of the gum-covered impacted tooth (the least complex impaction). Bony impactions (D7230/D7240) cost more. For multiple impacted wisdom teeth, the cost multiplies (each coded), and sedation may be separate.

Is this used for wisdom teeth?

Yes, commonly — wisdom teeth (third molars) often become impacted (lacking space) and are removed for problems (pain, infection, crowding, cysts) or preventively. A soft-tissue impacted wisdom tooth (covered by gum) uses D7220; more deeply impacted ones (covered by bone) use D7230/D7240.

This page is an independent, plain-language explanation for general information only. It is not billing, coding, or clinical advice. For the official CDT descriptor and current-year wording, refer to the American Dental Association.