D7720 — Maxilla — closed reduction (compound/open fracture)
One of the codes covering the surgical treatment of facial fractures and associated wounds. D7720 is the closed-reduction version for the upper jaw, where the fracture has broken through the skin or the mucosa.
24 codes describe facial fracture treatment and wound repair, and this is one of them. What separates it from the other 23 is the subject of this page; the facial fracture treatment and wound repair guide covers the treatment itself.
Everything on this page is about the code itself — its conditions, its fee, its benefit handling, and the precise point at which it stops applying and a neighbouring code starts.
Reading D7720
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 — compound (open). The fracture communicates with the outside, through a break in the skin or through the mouth, which means it is contaminated from the moment it happens. That changes the treatment: debridement, antibiotics and earlier intervention, and it puts the case in the higher-numbered half of the fracture range with a correspondingly higher fee.
Arch — upper. The palate provides broad support for anything removable, but the sinuses sit directly above the back teeth, which constrains surgical work.
Where the line falls between D7720 and the rest
D7710 — Maxilla — open reduction (compound/open fracture): 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.
D7730 — Mandible — open reduction (compound/open fracture): It is the same procedure on the lower jaw rather than the upper jaw, and by open reduction rather than closed.
D7740 — Mandible — closed reduction (compound/open fracture): It is the same procedure on the lower jaw rather than the upper jaw.
D7750 — Malar and/or zygomatic arch — open reduction (compound/open fracture): It is the same procedure on the cheekbone rather than the upper jaw, and by open reduction rather than closed.
D7720 sits in a group of 24 codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. Reviewers compare the narrative against the code rather than the other way round, so the question worth asking is what the notes will say.
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 D7720
What is D7720 on my dental bill?
Maxilla, closed reduction, compound/open fracture, reported under a single oral and maxillofacial surgery code.
Is D7720 expensive?
Plan for $2,000–$9,000 as the full fee. Two practices a few miles apart can sit at opposite ends of that range for the same work.
Is D7720 a covered benefit?
Yes on most policies, treated as medical / oral surgery work at variable. A waiting period on a new policy is the commonest reason it is not.
What is the difference between D7720 and D7710?
D7710 is maxilla, open reduction, compound/open fracture: 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 D7720 to be the defensible code.
Also known as: jaw fracture, facial trauma, open reduction, closed reduction, maxillofacial injury.