D7620 — Maxilla — closed reduction (teeth immobilized, if present)
One of the codes covering the surgical treatment of facial fractures and associated wounds. D7620 is the closed-reduction version for the upper jaw.
There are 24 codes for facial fracture treatment and wound repair and they are not interchangeable. This page covers this one; the facial fracture treatment and wound repair guide covers the treatment they all share.
Below you will find what this code specifically requires, a realistic price range, the usual benefit handling, and where it stops applying and another code begins.
D7620 in detail
Bone — the upper jaw. Maxillary fractures usually follow a recognised pattern through the midface, and the priority is restoring the bite: the upper teeth have to meet the lower ones the way they did before. That is why these cases are managed jointly with the dental occlusion in mind rather than as isolated bone work.
Technique — closed reduction. The fragments are manipulated back into position without cutting down to the bone, then held — commonly by wiring the upper and lower teeth together, or with an external appliance. Less surgery, a lower fee, and a shorter theatre time; the trade-off is less control over exactly how the pieces sit, so it suits fractures that are already close to their correct position.
Fracture type — simple (closed). The overlying skin and mucosa are intact, so the fracture site is not contaminated. These are the lower-numbered fracture codes and the lower fees; the same bone treated as a compound fracture has a separate code higher in the range.
Arch — upper. The palate provides broad support for anything removable, but the sinuses sit directly above the back teeth, which constrains surgical work.
Not to be confused with
D7610 — Maxilla — open reduction (teeth immobilized, if present): It is the open-reduction version of the same injury — the bone is exposed and fixed directly, which is why it is the dearer of the two.
D7630 — Mandible — open reduction (teeth immobilized, if present): It is the same procedure on the lower jaw rather than the upper jaw, and by open reduction rather than closed.
D7640 — Mandible — closed reduction (teeth immobilized, if present): It is the same procedure on the lower jaw rather than the upper jaw.
D7650 — Malar and/or zygomatic arch — open reduction: It is the same procedure on the cheekbone rather than the upper jaw, and by open reduction rather than closed.
D7620 sits in a group of 24 codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. These distinctions exist because they change what was actually done. A claim for D7620 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.
Questions about D7620
What is D7620 on my dental bill?
D7620 is shorthand for maxilla, closed reduction, teeth immobilized, if present — the same five characters every practice and every insurer in the country uses for it.
What should I expect to pay for D7620?
Between $2,000–$9,000 in most practices — and that is the figure before any benefit is applied, not what you would pay at the desk.
Is D7620 a covered benefit?
It normally falls under medical / oral surgery cover, variable. Whether a particular claim is paid depends more on your history with the plan than on the code.
What is the difference between D7620 and D7610?
D7610 is maxilla, open reduction, teeth immobilized, if present: it is the open-reduction version of the same injury — the bone is exposed and fixed directly, which is why it is the dearer of the two. Everything else about the appointment is identical, so the record has to show that one detail for D7620 to be the defensible code.
Also known as: jaw fracture, facial trauma, open reduction, closed reduction, maxillofacial injury.