D7220 Oral & maxillofacial surgery Major oral surgery benefit

D7220 — Removal of impacted tooth — soft tissue

D7220 removes an impacted tooth covered only by gum, which is the simplest of the impaction codes.

Wisdom Teeth: Should They Come Out? The procedure itself explained in full — appointments, alternatives, how long it lasts and what drives the price.

This is one of four closely related removal of impacted tooth codes. The treatment is explained in full in the removal of impacted tooth guide — this page is about what makes this particular code different.

This page explains what that code number commits the office to, what it usually costs, how plans treat it, and — the part that causes most of the confusion — how it differs from the codes sitting immediately either side of it.

Where the line falls between D7220 and the rest

D7230 — Removal of impacted tooth — partially bony: It is the same procedure specified for partially bony rather than for soft tissue.

D7240 — Removal of impacted tooth — completely bony: It is the same procedure specified for completely bony rather than for soft tissue.

D7241 — Removal of impacted tooth — completely bony, with unusual surgical complications: It is the complicated variant, requiring a supporting narrative.

Those three codes and D7220 are the whole group — nothing else describes this procedure. These distinctions exist because they change what was actually done. A claim for D7220 when the record describes one of the others is not a technicality — it is the difference between a paid claim and a returned one.

Every code in this group

These codes describe the same broad procedure and differ in one respect each. Each has its own page with its own fee range and coverage notes.

Code	Procedure
D7220	Removal of impacted tooth — soft tissue — this page
D7230	Removal of impacted tooth — partially bony
D7240	Removal of impacted tooth — completely bony
D7241	Removal of impacted tooth — completely bony, with unusual surgical complications

Questions about D7220

D7220 — what is it?

Removal of impacted tooth, soft tissue. It belongs to the oral and maxillofacial surgery section of the code set.

What is the typical fee for D7220?

Typically $350–$800 before insurance, depending on local fees and the complexity of the individual case.

Does dental insurance cover D7220?

Most plans include it under major oral surgery benefits, typically 50–80%. A pre-treatment estimate is the only way to know your own number in advance.

What is the difference between D7220 and D7230?

D7230 is removal of impacted tooth, partially bony: it is the same procedure specified for partially bony rather than for soft tissue. Apart from that, the two describe the same treatment — which is why the notes for the visit matter more here than the code itself.

Also known as: wisdom teeth, impacted tooth, third molar, wisdom tooth surgery, impaction.

Typical cost

$350–$800

Before insurance. United States, private fees.

The usual range is $350–$800; that is the full fee, not your share. This is the cheapest of the four codes here, and the one a plan is most likely to pay in full.

Insurance

Category: Major oral surgery
Plan pays: Typically 50–80%

Benefit-wise this is major oral surgery work — typically 50–80% on a conventional plan. Generally covered where there is documented pathology or symptoms. Prophylactic removal of asymptomatic teeth is increasingly questioned by payers.

Common restrictions

Radiographs showing the impaction are required
The depth of impaction claimed must match the imaging
Prophylactic removal of asymptomatic teeth may be denied
Medical insurance sometimes covers general anaesthesia for multiple extractions

At a glance

Graded by: How much bone and tissue covers the tooth
Typical chair time: 20–60 minutes per tooth
Anesthesia: Local, commonly with sedation or general anaesthesia
Swelling peak: 48–72 hours
Main risk: Temporary or, rarely, permanent nerve alteration
Insurance class: Major oral surgery
Category: Oral & maxillofacial surgery
Typical fee: $350–$800
Benefit class: Major oral surgery

Ask your dentist

Has a pre-treatment estimate been sent to my plan, and what did it come back at?
What will I owe on the day, after the plan pays its share?
What happens if I wait — does the treatment or the cost change?

Often confused with

D7251 Coronectomy
Removes the crown only, leaving roots that sit on the nerve undisturbed. D7210 Surgical removal of an erupted tooth
For a tooth that has come through normally. D7280 Surgical exposure of an unerupted tooth
Uncovering rather than removing — used for impacted canines being brought into line.

People also look at

D7210 D7251 D7280 D7230 D7240 D7241