What D7450 means

D7450 covers the removal of a benign odontogenic cyst or tumor — lesion diameter up to 1.25 cm. "D" is dental, "74" is this oral surgery group, and "50" is this small benign odontogenic cyst/tumor removal. 'Odontogenic' means arising from the tooth-forming tissues (the tissues involved in tooth development). Odontogenic cysts and tumors are growths that develop in the jaw bone from these tooth-related tissues — they're a category of jaw lesions distinct from soft-tissue lesions. Examples include: dentigerous cysts (cysts associated with the crown of an unerupted tooth), odontogenic keratocysts (a type of cyst known for being aggressive/recurring), radicular cysts (cysts at the root of a non-vital tooth), ameloblastomas (a benign but locally aggressive odontogenic tumor), and others. A benign odontogenic cyst or tumor is a non-cancerous one. D7450 is for removing such a benign odontogenic cyst or tumor that is up to 1.25 cm in diameter (a small one). So when a small (up to 1.25 cm) benign odontogenic (tooth-tissue-derived) jaw cyst or tumor is removed, D7450 reports this.

So it's surgically removing a small (up to 1.25 cm) benign (non-cancerous) cyst or tumor of the jaw that arose from tooth-forming tissues.

These odontogenic cysts/tumors develop within the jaw bone (they're not soft-tissue lesions — distinguishing them from the D7410-D7415 lesion codes). They may be discovered on a dental X-ray (often as a radiolucent area in the jaw, sometimes found incidentally) or due to symptoms (swelling, displacement of teeth, etc.). Removing them is important — even benign ones can grow, damage the surrounding bone/teeth, and some (like odontogenic keratocysts and ameloblastomas) tend to recur or behave aggressively locally, so complete removal is important. The removal typically involves accessing the cyst/tumor in the jaw bone and removing it (enucleation — removing the cyst/tumor intact — and/or curettage, and sometimes removing some surrounding bone for aggressive types). The tissue is examined by pathology (confirming the diagnosis and the benign nature). D7450 is for a small one (up to 1.25 cm); D7451 is for a larger one (greater than 1.25 cm). For benign NON-odontogenic cysts/tumors (not from tooth tissue), the codes are D7460/D7461. Coverage is under oral surgery benefits (and sometimes medical); the pathology is separate. Documentation supports the claim.

When it's typically used

D7450 is reported for removing a small (up to 1.25 cm) benign (non-cancerous) odontogenic cyst or tumor — a jaw cyst/tumor arising from tooth-forming tissues (e.g., a dentigerous cyst, odontogenic keratocyst, or small ameloblastoma) — surgically removing it (enucleation/curettage) with pathology. It's distinguished by size from the larger one (D7451), and by origin (odontogenic) from non-odontogenic cysts/tumors (D7460/D7461).

How much does D7450 cost?

Removal of a small benign odontogenic cyst or tumor is a moderate fee, often roughly 400 to 900 USD depending on region and the location/access — for surgically removing the cyst/tumor from the jaw (enucleation/curettage), typically with local anesthesia (or sedation). The pathology lab fee is separate. The fee reflects the surgical removal; more aggressive types or difficult locations may be more involved.

Is D7450 covered by insurance?

Covered under oral surgery benefits (and sometimes medical, depending on the situation). Documentation of the cyst/tumor (its odontogenic origin, benign nature, size up to 1.25 cm, location) and its removal supports the claim. The pathology lab fee is billed separately. It's distinguished from the larger one (D7451) and from non-odontogenic cysts/tumors (D7460/D7461). For aggressive types (e.g., keratocysts, ameloblastomas), the treatment/follow-up may be more involved. Verifying coverage helps.

What odontogenic cysts and tumors are

Odontogenic cysts/tumors arise from tooth tissues, and understanding them clarifies what this removes.

'Odontogenic' means arising from the odontogenic tissues — the tissues involved in tooth formation (tooth development). During tooth development, various tissues form the tooth and its supporting structures; remnants of these tissues remain in the jaws, and from them, odontogenic cysts and tumors can develop. So odontogenic cysts/tumors are jaw lesions that arise from these tooth-related tissues — they develop within the jaw bone. This distinguishes them from non-odontogenic cysts/tumors (which arise from other, non-tooth tissues) and from soft-tissue lesions. Common benign odontogenic cysts/tumors: dentigerous cyst (a cyst that forms around the crown of an unerupted/impacted tooth — a common odontogenic cyst); odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) (a cyst known for being locally aggressive and prone to recurrence); radicular cyst (a cyst at the apex/root of a non-vital tooth, from infection — the most common odontogenic cyst); and ameloblastoma (a benign but locally aggressive odontogenic tumor that can grow and destroy bone) — among others. So these are various tooth-tissue-derived jaw growths.

These lesions develop in the jaw bone and are often detected on dental X-rays (appearing as radiolucent — dark — areas in the bone, sometimes associated with a tooth), either incidentally (found on a routine X-ray) or due to symptoms (swelling, tooth displacement, etc.). Most are benign (non-cancerous — the subject of D7450/D7451), though they vary in behavior (some, like keratocysts and ameloblastomas, are more aggressive locally). D7450 removes a small benign one. The oral surgeon diagnoses and removes odontogenic cysts/tumors. For patients, understanding what odontogenic cysts/tumors are — jaw lesions from tooth-forming tissues — clarifies what this removes. They're tooth-tissue-derived jaw growths. The surgeon removes them. Understanding this helps patients see that odontogenic cysts and tumors are jaw lesions arising from the tooth-forming tissues (remnants of which remain in the jaws after tooth development) — developing within the jaw bone (distinct from soft-tissue lesions and non-odontogenic ones) — with common benign examples being dentigerous cysts (around an unerupted tooth), odontogenic keratocysts (locally aggressive), radicular cysts (at a non-vital tooth's root), and ameloblastomas (benign but locally aggressive tumors), often detected on dental X-rays, with D7450 removing a small (up to 1.25 cm) benign one.

Why they're removed

Odontogenic cysts/tumors are removed for important reasons, and understanding them clarifies the purpose.

Benign odontogenic cysts and tumors are removed for important reasons — and understanding them clarifies the purpose. Even though benign (non-cancerous), these jaw lesions warrant removal because: they can grow — cysts and tumors in the jaw can enlarge over time, expanding within the bone; bone destruction — as they grow, they can destroy/displace the surrounding jaw bone (thinning or expanding it), potentially weakening the jaw (in extreme cases risking a fracture) and causing deformity; damage to teeth/structures — they can displace teeth, cause root resorption (damaging the roots of nearby teeth), affect the development/eruption of teeth, or impinge on other structures (nerves, the sinus); recurrence/aggressive behavior — some types (notably odontogenic keratocysts and ameloblastomas) are locally aggressive and/or prone to recurrence, so they need complete removal (and sometimes more aggressive treatment) to prevent recurrence and ongoing damage; diagnosis — removing the lesion and examining it confirms the diagnosis (the specific type and the benign nature — important, as the type guides treatment and some have specific behaviors); and symptoms — they may cause symptoms (swelling, pain, infection) warranting removal. So these lesions are removed to prevent damage, confirm the diagnosis, and address aggressive types.

The importance of removal (and complete removal) is greater for the aggressive types — an untreated ameloblastoma or keratocyst can cause significant destruction and recur, so thorough removal (and follow-up) is important. Even less aggressive cysts are typically removed to prevent growth/damage and confirm the diagnosis. So removal is warranted for these jaw lesions. The oral surgeon removes them to prevent damage and confirm the diagnosis. For patients, understanding why odontogenic cysts/tumors are removed — to prevent growth, bone/tooth damage, and recurrence, and to confirm the diagnosis — clarifies the purpose. They're removed to prevent damage and diagnose. The surgeon removes them. Understanding this helps patients see that benign odontogenic cysts and tumors are removed for important reasons — they can grow and destroy/displace the surrounding jaw bone (weakening the jaw, causing deformity), damage teeth and other structures (displacement, root resorption), and some types (keratocysts, ameloblastomas) are locally aggressive and prone to recurrence (needing complete removal), plus removal confirms the diagnosis (the type and benign nature) and addresses symptoms — so removal prevents damage, addresses aggressive behavior, and provides the diagnosis, with thorough removal especially important for the aggressive types.

The removal procedure

Removing an odontogenic cyst/tumor is a jaw surgery, and understanding it clarifies what's involved.

Removing a benign odontogenic cyst or tumor (D7450) is a surgical procedure within the jaw bone. The procedure generally involves: imaging — using imaging (X-rays, often a CBCT/CT for a 3D view) to assess the lesion (its size, location, relation to teeth/nerves/the sinus) and plan the removal; anesthesia — appropriate anesthesia (local, often with sedation, or general anesthesia for a more involved case); accessing the lesion — making an incision in the gum and accessing the jaw bone, removing some bone (a window) over the lesion to reach it; removing the lesion — removing the cyst/tumor: enucleation (removing the cyst/tumor intact, shelling it out from the bony cavity) and/or curettage (scraping the bony cavity to remove any remnants); for aggressive types (keratocysts, ameloblastomas), more aggressive removal may be done (e.g., removing a margin of surrounding bone — peripheral ostectomy — or other adjunctive treatments, to reduce recurrence); managing associated teeth — addressing any associated tooth (e.g., removing the impacted tooth associated with a dentigerous cyst, or the non-vital tooth for a radicular cyst); sending for pathology — sending the removed tissue for pathology examination (confirming the diagnosis and benign nature); and closing/healing — closing the site, and the bony cavity healing/filling in over time (sometimes with grafting for a large cavity). So the procedure removes the lesion from the jaw and obtains its diagnosis.

The extent depends on the lesion (its size, type, and location) — a small, simple cyst (D7450) is a relatively contained removal, while aggressive types need more thorough removal. For D7450 (a small lesion up to 1.25 cm), it's a relatively contained procedure, often done in-office under local anesthesia/sedation (more involved cases in a surgical setting). After removal and healing, the lesion is gone and diagnosed (with follow-up, especially for aggressive types, to monitor for recurrence). The oral surgeon performs the removal. For patients, understanding that removing an odontogenic cyst/tumor is a jaw surgery — accessing and removing the lesion from the bone — clarifies what's involved. It removes the lesion from the jaw. The surgeon performs it. Understanding this helps patients see that removing a benign odontogenic cyst/tumor (D7450) is a surgical procedure within the jaw bone — using imaging to plan, accessing the lesion (incising the gum and removing some bone to reach it), removing it (enucleation and/or curettage, with more aggressive removal for aggressive types like keratocysts/ameloblastomas), addressing any associated tooth, and sending the tissue for pathology — with the extent depending on the lesion (a small one, D7450, being relatively contained, often done under local anesthesia/sedation), and follow-up (especially for aggressive types) to monitor for recurrence after healing.

Odontogenic cyst/tumor codes and distinctions

The cyst/tumor codes distinguish origin and size, and understanding this clarifies the coding.

The codes for removing benign cysts/tumors of the jaw distinguish the origin (odontogenic vs non-odontogenic) and size — and understanding this clarifies the coding. The benign odontogenic codes: D7450 — removal of benign odontogenic cyst or tumor, up to 1.25 cm (small — this code); D7451 — removal of benign odontogenic cyst or tumor, greater than 1.25 cm (larger). The benign NON-odontogenic codes: D7460 — removal of benign nonodontogenic cyst or tumor, up to 1.25 cm; D7461 — removal of benign nonodontogenic cyst or tumor, greater than 1.25 cm. So the codes distinguish: odontogenic (from tooth tissues — D7450/D7451) vs non-odontogenic (from other tissues — D7460/D7461), and size (up to vs over 1.25 cm). D7450 is the small, odontogenic one.

So the surgeon codes by the origin and size: a benign odontogenic (tooth-tissue) cyst/tumor up to 1.25 cm → D7450; over 1.25 cm → D7451; a benign non-odontogenic one → D7460/D7461 (by size). The origin (odontogenic vs not) is determined by the type of lesion (its tissue of origin — confirmed by the diagnosis/pathology). These benign cyst/tumor codes are also distinct from the soft-tissue lesion codes (D7410-D7415, for lesions of the soft tissue) and the malignant codes — the cyst/tumor codes (D7450-D7461) are specifically for cysts/tumors (of the jaw, benign), by origin and size. So D7450 is the small benign odontogenic cyst/tumor removal. The surgeon codes by origin and size. For patients, understanding that the cyst/tumor codes distinguish origin and size, with D7450 being the small odontogenic one, clarifies the coding. It's the small odontogenic one. The surgeon codes by origin/size. Understanding this helps patients see that the benign jaw cyst/tumor removal codes distinguish the origin (odontogenic, from tooth tissues: D7450/D7451, vs non-odontogenic, from other tissues: D7460/D7461) and the size (up to 1.25 cm vs greater) — with D7450 being the small (up to 1.25 cm) benign odontogenic cyst/tumor removal — so the surgeon codes by the lesion's origin (determined by its type/pathology) and size, with these cyst/tumor codes being distinct from the soft-tissue lesion codes (D7410-D7415) and the malignant codes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the D7450 dental code?

It's the removal of a benign odontogenic cyst or tumor up to 1.25 cm — surgically removing a small benign (non-cancerous) cyst or tumor of the jaw that arose from tooth-forming tissues (e.g., a dentigerous cyst, odontogenic keratocyst, radicular cyst, or small ameloblastoma). It removes a small one, distinct from the larger one (D7451).

What are odontogenic cysts and tumors?

Jaw lesions arising from the tooth-forming tissues (remnants of which remain in the jaws after tooth development) — developing within the jaw bone. Common benign examples are dentigerous cysts (around an unerupted tooth), odontogenic keratocysts (locally aggressive), radicular cysts (at a non-vital tooth's root), and ameloblastomas (benign but locally aggressive tumors). They're often found on dental X-rays.

Why are they removed?

Even though benign, they can grow and destroy/displace the jaw bone (weakening it, causing deformity), damage teeth and structures, and some types (keratocysts, ameloblastomas) are locally aggressive and prone to recurrence (needing complete removal). Removal also confirms the diagnosis (the type and benign nature) and addresses symptoms.

What does the procedure involve?

A jaw surgery — using imaging to plan, accessing the lesion (incising the gum and removing some bone), removing it (enucleation and/or curettage, with more aggressive removal for aggressive types), addressing any associated tooth, and sending the tissue for pathology. For a small lesion (D7450), it's relatively contained, often under local anesthesia/sedation.

How much does it cost?

Often around 400 to 900 USD for surgically removing a small benign odontogenic cyst/tumor from the jaw (typically with local anesthesia or sedation). The pathology lab fee is separate. More aggressive types or difficult locations may be more involved. Verify your specific coverage.

How is it different from D7451 and D7460?

D7450 is for a small (up to 1.25 cm) benign ODONTOGENIC cyst/tumor. D7451 is the larger one (over 1.25 cm), also odontogenic. D7460/D7461 are for benign NON-odontogenic cysts/tumors (from other tissues). So the codes differ by origin (odontogenic vs not) and size.

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.