D7771 — Alveolus — closed reduction stabilization of teeth (compound/open fracture)
One of the codes covering the surgical treatment of facial fractures and associated wounds. D7771 is the closed-reduction version for the tooth-bearing ridge, where the fracture has broken through the skin or the mucosa.
It is one of 24 codes covering facial fracture treatment and wound repair. For the procedure itself rather than the code, see the facial fracture treatment and wound repair guide; for the code, read on.
What the number specifies, what it costs, what your plan is likely to do with it, and the named differences between it and the codes around it — in that order.
D7771 in detail
Bone — the tooth-bearing ridge. An alveolar fracture takes a segment of bone and the teeth in it together, typically from a direct blow to the front of the mouth. Treatment stabilises the teeth along with the bone, and the survival of those teeth is the thing being judged afterwards.
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.
D7771 against the codes beside it
D7770 — Alveolus — open reduction stabilization of teeth (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.
D7780 — Facial bones — complicated reduction with fixation and multiple surgical approaches (compound/open): It is the same procedure on the facial bones rather than the tooth-bearing ridge, and by complicated reduction rather than closed.
D7760 — Malar and/or zygomatic arch — closed reduction (compound/open fracture): It is the same procedure on the cheekbone rather than the tooth-bearing ridge.
D7750 — Malar and/or zygomatic arch — open reduction (compound/open fracture): It is the same procedure on the cheekbone rather than the tooth-bearing ridge, and by open reduction rather than closed.
D7771 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 D7771
What is D7771 on my dental bill?
Alveolus, closed reduction stabilization of teeth, compound/open fracture. It belongs to the oral and maxillofacial surgery section of the code set.
How much does D7771 cost?
Usually somewhere in $2,000–$9,000 as a gross fee. The code fixes what was done, not what it costs, so ask for the practice's own figure in writing.
Does dental insurance cover D7771?
Most plans include it under medical / oral surgery benefits, variable. A pre-treatment estimate is the only way to know your own number in advance.
What is the difference between D7771 and D7770?
D7770 is alveolus, open reduction stabilization of teeth, 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. Nothing else separates them, which is exactly why a claim submitted under the wrong one of the two is such a common correction.
Also known as: jaw fracture, facial trauma, open reduction, closed reduction, maxillofacial injury.