D7854 — Synovectomy (TMJ)
D7854 removes the inflamed lining of the joint.
It is one of 22 codes covering temporomandibular joint treatment. For the procedure itself rather than the code, see the temporomandibular joint treatment guide; for the code, read on.
This page explains what that code number commits the office to, what it usually costs, how plans treat it, and — the part that causes most of the confusion — how it differs from the codes sitting immediately either side of it.
D7854 against the codes beside it
D7852 — Disc repair (TMJ): It repairs a torn or displaced joint disc rather than removing it.
D7856 — Myotomy (TMJ-related): It releases or divides a jaw muscle, for spasm or restriction rather than for disease inside the joint.
D7850 — Surgical discectomy, with/without implant (TMJ): It removes the disc from inside the joint, with or without replacing it with an implant.
D7858 — Joint reconstruction (TMJ): It rebuilds the joint, replacing damaged parts with grafts or prosthetic components.
D7854 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 D7854 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 D7854
What is D7854 on my dental bill?
Synovectomy, tmj, reported under a single oral and maxillofacial surgery code.
Is D7854 expensive?
$2,000–$8,000 is the realistic range before benefits. Your own share depends on your plan's percentage, deductible and remaining annual maximum.
Is D7854 a covered benefit?
Expect medical / dental — often excluded handling — 0–50%. Submitting an estimate first turns that percentage into a number you can rely on.
What is the difference between D7854 and D7852?
D7852 is disc repair, TMJ: it repairs a torn or displaced joint disc rather than removing it. They are different operations that happen to sit next to each other in the code set, so one is not an alternative way of billing the other.
Also known as: TMJ, TMD, jaw joint pain, arthrocentesis, jaw clicking, occlusal orthotic.