D7810 — Open reduction of dislocation (TMJ)
D7810 opens the joint surgically to reduce a dislocation that cannot be put back by manipulation.
22 codes describe temporomandibular joint treatment, and this is one of them. What separates it from the other 21 is the subject of this page; the temporomandibular joint treatment guide covers the treatment itself.
The sections below cover the conditions built into the code, what it tends to cost, what a dental plan is likely to pay, and where the line falls between this code and the ones next to it.
Reading D7810
Technique — open reduction. The bone is exposed through an incision so the fractured ends can be seen and held directly, usually with plates and screws. It is the more involved of the two approaches and the one used when the fragments will not line up any other way, when they are displaced, or when several pieces are involved. It carries the higher fee of the pair for that reason.
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.
How D7810 differs from its neighbours
D7820 — Closed reduction of dislocation (TMJ): It is the closed-reduction version of the same injury — the fragments are set without exposing the bone, which is why it is the cheaper of the two.
D7830 — Manipulation under anesthesia (TMJ): It manipulates the joint while the patient is anaesthetised, to free a joint that will not move under normal conditions.
D7840 — Condylectomy (TMJ): It removes the condyle, the ball at the top of the lower jaw, where disease has destroyed it.
D7850 — Surgical discectomy, with/without implant (TMJ): It removes the disc from inside the joint, with or without replacing it with an implant.
D7810 sits in a group of 22 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 D7810 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 D7810
D7810 — what is it?
Read literally, D7810 means open reduction of dislocation, TMJ — and payers do read it literally.
Is D7810 expensive?
Typically $1,500–$4,500 before insurance, depending on local fees and the complexity of the individual case.
How do dental plans handle D7810?
Yes on most policies, treated as medical / dental — often excluded work at 0–50%. A waiting period on a new policy is the commonest reason it is not.
What is the difference between D7810 and D7820?
D7820 is closed reduction of dislocation, TMJ: it is the closed-reduction version of the same injury — the fragments are set without exposing the bone, which is why it is the cheaper 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: TMJ, TMD, jaw joint pain, arthrocentesis, jaw clicking, occlusal orthotic.