D7640 — Mandible — closed reduction (teeth immobilized, if present)
One of the codes covering the surgical treatment of facial fractures and associated wounds. D7640 is the closed-reduction version for the lower 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.
What the code requires, what it costs, how it is paid, and how to tell it from its neighbours — each in its own section below.
What has to be true for D7640 to apply
Bone — the lower jaw. The mandible is the most commonly fractured facial bone, and it often breaks in two places because it is a ring of bone. Muscle pull tends to displace the fragments, which is why the lower jaw needs fixation more often than the other facial bones do.
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 — lower. The bone is denser, but there is far less surface area to support anything removable and the nerve running through the jaw limits how aggressive surgery can be.
D7640 against the codes beside it
D7630 — Mandible — 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.
D7650 — Malar and/or zygomatic arch — open reduction: It is the same procedure on the cheekbone rather than the lower jaw, and by open reduction rather than closed.
D7620 — Maxilla — closed reduction (teeth immobilized, if present): It is the same procedure on the upper jaw rather than the lower jaw.
D7660 — Malar and/or zygomatic arch — closed reduction: It is the same procedure on the cheekbone rather than the lower jaw.
D7640 sits in a group of 24 codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. There is no penalty for asking which of these is planned, and there is a real cost to finding out from an explanation of benefits weeks later.
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 D7640
What is D7640 on my dental bill?
The procedure behind the number is mandible, closed reduction, teeth immobilized, if present, filed under oral and maxillofacial surgery.
How much does D7640 cost?
The usual range is $2,000–$9,000. Anything well outside it is worth a question rather than an assumption.
Is D7640 a covered benefit?
Expect medical / oral surgery handling — variable. Submitting an estimate first turns that percentage into a number you can rely on.
What is the difference between D7640 and D7630?
D7630 is mandible, 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. 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: jaw fracture, facial trauma, open reduction, closed reduction, maxillofacial injury.