What D7660 means

D7660 covers the closed reduction of a malar and/or zygomatic arch fracture. "D" is dental, "76" is this oral surgery group, and "60" is this cheekbone closed reduction. Like D7650, it's treating a fractured zygoma (cheekbone)/zygomatic arch by reduction. But D7660 is the closed reduction — reducing the fracture WITHOUT an open surgical exposure and internal fixation. The classic example is an isolated, displaced (depressed) zygomatic arch fracture: the depressed arch is elevated back into its correct position — often through a small/limited access (e.g., a small incision in the temporal/hairline area or intraorally, through which an instrument is passed beneath the depressed arch to lift it) — without widely opening the area or applying plates/screws. Once elevated, the arch may be stable (held by the surrounding tissue) without fixation. So no open surgical reduction/fixation is done — distinguishing it from open reduction (D7650).

So it's realigning a fractured cheekbone/zygomatic arch without an open surgical exposure or fixation — e.g., elevating a depressed arch back into place through a small access — the closed reduction approach.

Closed reduction is used for zygomatic fractures that can be adequately reduced without open exposure and fixation — most classically an isolated zygomatic arch fracture (a depressed arch elevated back into position, where it's stable). For such a fracture, the closed reduction is less invasive than an open approach, and may be sufficient. In contrast, more complex displaced zygomatic (body) fractures — involving multiple points, needing stable fixation — typically require open reduction (D7650) with plating. So the choice depends on the fracture. It's performed by an oral and maxillofacial (or facial) surgeon. This code is in the simple-fracture series; the compound parallel is D7760. Maxillofacial trauma typically involves medical insurance. Documentation supports the claim.

When it's typically used

D7660 is reported for treating a malar (cheekbone/zygoma) and/or zygomatic arch fracture by closed reduction — realigning the broken bone without an open surgical exposure/fixation (e.g., elevating a depressed zygomatic arch back into position through a small access). It's used for a simple zygomatic fracture that can be adequately reduced this way (classically an isolated arch fracture), vs open reduction (D7650) for more complex displaced fractures.

How much does D7660 cost?

Closed reduction of a zygomatic/cheekbone fracture is a significant fee but less than open reduction — often roughly 250 to 2,000+ USD for the procedure (fee schedules vary; some list around 250 USD), plus any hospital/anesthesia and overall trauma care. It's less than open reduction (D7650), reflecting the less invasive approach (no open exposure/fixation). Medical insurance typically applies (maxillofacial trauma is a medical matter). Verify coverage with the medical insurer.

Is D7660 covered by insurance?

Maxillofacial fracture treatment typically involves medical insurance (trauma is a medical matter). Documentation of the fracture (the malar/zygomatic arch fracture) and the closed reduction (realignment without open exposure/fixation, e.g., elevating a depressed arch) supports the claim. It's distinguished from open reduction (D7650) and from the compound/open-fracture codes (D7760/D7750). Coordination with the medical insurer applies. Verifying coverage helps.

Closed reduction of a zygomatic arch fracture

Closed reduction often applies to an isolated arch fracture, and understanding this clarifies the code.

The zygomatic arch can be fractured in isolation (just the arch, without a more complex zygoma fracture) — typically depressed inward by a blow to the side of the face. A depressed arch can cause a visible depression (a dent in the side of the face) and/or limit jaw opening (if it impinges on the mandible's coronoid process). For such an isolated, depressed arch fracture, the treatment is often a closed reduction: elevating the depressed arch back into its correct position — without an open surgical exposure or internal fixation.

The technique typically involves: accessing beneath the depressed arch — through a small/limited access (e.g., a small incision in the temporal region within the hairline — the Gillies approach — passing an instrument down beneath the arch; or an intraoral approach beneath the arch); elevating the arch — using the instrument to push/elevate the depressed arch back out into its correct position; and assessing stability — once elevated, the arch is often stable (held by the surrounding tissue/muscle), so no plating/fixation is needed. Understanding this helps patients see that D7660 (closed reduction) classically applies to an isolated zygomatic arch fracture — where the arch is depressed inward by a blow (causing a visible depression and/or limiting jaw opening) — treated by elevating the depressed arch back into position without an open surgical exposure or fixation, typically through a small/limited access (e.g., a small temporal incision — the Gillies approach — or an intraoral approach) and often stable after elevation (no plating needed), correcting the depression and relieving any jaw-opening limitation.

When closed reduction suffices vs needing open

Closed reduction suits certain zygomatic fractures, and understanding this clarifies the choice.

Closed reduction may suffice for: isolated zygomatic arch fractures — a depressed arch that can be elevated back into position and is stable there (the classic closed-reduction zygomatic fracture); and certain other fractures — where the bone can be adequately reduced without open exposure/fixation and is stable after reduction.

Open reduction (D7650) is needed for more complex zygomatic fractures: displaced zygoma (body) fractures — fractures of the main cheekbone (zygomaticomaxillary complex) that are displaced and involve multiple connection points (buttresses) — needing open exposure to realign precisely and fixation (plates/screws) at the points; fractures with orbital involvement — where the orbit is involved and needs assessment/repair; and unstable fractures — needing fixation. So the more complex, displaced, multi-point, or unstable fractures need open reduction with fixation. Understanding this helps patients see that closed reduction (D7660) suffices for certain zygomatic fractures — isolated zygomatic arch fractures (a depressed arch elevated back into position and stable there) and other fractures reducible without open exposure/fixation — while open reduction (D7650) is needed for more complex ones (displaced zygoma/body fractures involving multiple connection points that need open exposure and plate/screw fixation, fractures with orbital involvement, or unstable fractures) — so the surgeon evaluates the fracture (with imaging like CT) to choose closed reduction when it suffices or open reduction when the fracture's complexity requires surgical exposure and fixation.

Restoring contour and jaw opening

Closed reduction restores the contour and jaw opening, and understanding this clarifies the benefit.

The two main problems from a depressed zygomatic arch fracture are: the depression/deformity — the depressed arch creates a visible dent/flattening on the side of the face (a cosmetic deformity); and limited jaw opening — the depressed arch can impinge on the coronoid process of the mandible (which moves up beneath the arch when opening the mouth), mechanically blocking or limiting jaw opening (trismus). By elevating the depressed arch back into position, the closed reduction addresses both: restoring the contour (the arch back in place restores the normal side-of-face contour) and restoring jaw opening (the coronoid process can move freely again).

This makes the closed reduction valuable for an isolated arch fracture causing these problems — a relatively less invasive procedure that resolves both the cosmetic and functional issues. Understanding this helps patients see that closed reduction of a zygomatic arch fracture restores the facial contour and jaw opening — addressing the two main problems of a depressed arch (the visible depression/dent on the side of the face, a cosmetic deformity, and limited jaw opening/trismus, from the depressed arch impinging on the mandible's coronoid process) — by elevating the depressed arch back into its correct position, which restores the normal side-of-face contour and frees the coronoid process to move (restoring normal jaw opening) — making it a relatively less invasive procedure that resolves both the cosmetic and functional issues for an isolated arch fracture.

The zygomatic fracture codes

D7660 is the closed cheekbone option, and understanding this clarifies the coding.

As with the other facial bones, the zygoma has open and closed reduction codes in each series. In the simple-fracture series: D7650 — malar/zygomatic arch, open reduction; D7660 — malar/zygomatic arch, closed reduction (this code). So D7660 (closed) is the counterpart of D7650 (open), differing by the approach (no open exposure/fixation for D7660 vs an open surgical reduction/fixation for D7650). In the compound series, the parallels are D7750 (open) and D7760 (closed).

The surgeon codes D7660 when a zygomatic fracture is treated by closed reduction (realigning without open exposure/fixation — classically an isolated arch fracture elevated into place), and D7650 when by open reduction. Understanding this helps patients see that D7660 is the closed reduction option for the malar/zygomatic arch — the closed counterpart of D7650 (open) in the simple-fracture series (differing by the approach: no open exposure/fixation for D7660, classically elevating an isolated depressed arch, vs open surgical reduction and fixation for D7650, for more complex fractures) — with parallel compound-series codes (D7750 open, D7760 closed) — so the surgeon codes D7660 for a zygomatic fracture treated by closed reduction and D7650 for one treated by open reduction, selecting based on the series and the approach.

Frequently asked questions

What is the D7660 dental code?

It's the closed reduction of a malar and/or zygomatic arch fracture — treating a fractured cheekbone (malar/zygoma) and/or zygomatic arch by realigning the broken bone WITHOUT an open surgical exposure/fixation. The classic example is elevating a displaced (depressed) zygomatic arch back into position through a small access, without plating. It's the closed counterpart of D7650.

What's the difference from open reduction (D7650)?

Closed reduction (D7660) realigns the fracture without an open surgical exposure or internal fixation (e.g., elevating a depressed arch through a small access). Open reduction (D7650) realigns it through a surgical incision/exposure with fixation (plates/screws) — used for more complex displaced fractures. The surgeon chooses based on the fracture.

How is a depressed zygomatic arch reduced closed?

By elevating it back into position through a small/limited access — e.g., a small incision in the temporal region within the hairline (the Gillies approach) or an intraoral approach, passing an instrument beneath the depressed arch to push it back out into its correct position. Once elevated, the arch is often stable without needing plates/fixation.

When does closed reduction suffice?

For fractures that can be reduced without open exposure/fixation and are stable after reduction — classically an isolated zygomatic arch fracture (a depressed arch elevated into position). More complex displaced zygoma fractures involving multiple connection points, or with orbital involvement, typically need open reduction with fixation (D7650).

What does it fix?

Elevating a depressed zygomatic arch corrects two problems — the visible depression/dent on the side of the face (restoring the facial contour) and limited jaw opening (trismus, by freeing the mandible's coronoid process that the depressed arch was impinging on). So it resolves both the cosmetic and functional issues.

How much does it cost, and what insurance applies?

Often roughly 250 to 2,000+ USD for the procedure (less than open reduction), plus any hospital/anesthesia and overall trauma care. Medical insurance typically applies (maxillofacial trauma is a medical matter). Verify coverage with the medical insurer.

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.