D7946 — LeFort I (maxilla — total)
D7946 is the LeFort I osteotomy, which frees the whole upper jaw in one piece and repositions it.
Among the ten codes in this group it is the workhorse — the one most practices report by default. The procedure behind it is explained at length in the orthognathic surgery guide.
The rest of this page deals with the specifics: the requirements written into the code, the usual range of fees, the typical benefit outcome, and how to tell it apart from its closest relatives.
The conditions built into D7946
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.
Arch — upper. The palate provides broad support for anything removable, but the sinuses sit directly above the back teeth, which constrains surgical work.
D7946 compared with its closest relatives
D7945 — Osteotomy — body of mandible: It is the same procedure on the lower jaw rather than the upper jaw.
D7947 — LeFort I (maxilla — segmented): It is the same procedure with one word changed: segmented rather than total.
D7944 — Osteotomy — segmented or subapical: It cuts out and repositions a block of jaw carrying a few teeth, rather than moving a whole jaw.
D7948 — LeFort II or LeFort III — without bone graft: It is the LeFort II or III osteotomy, which moves the midface rather than the upper jaw alone, with no grafting.
D7946 sits in a group of ten 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 D7946
D7946 — what is it?
It is the oral and maxillofacial surgery code for leFort I, maxilla, total, and it means that specific procedure and no other.
What should I expect to pay for D7946?
Expect $5,000–$15,000. Ask for the number in writing, because the code carries no fee of its own and every practice sets its own.
Does dental insurance cover D7946?
Usually yes, as medical treatment at variable — but coverage turns on your own policy, its annual maximum and any waiting period.
What is the difference between D7946 and D7945?
D7945 is osteotomy, body of mandible: it is the same procedure on the lower jaw rather than the upper jaw. That one difference is the whole distinction; the chair time, the materials and the appointment sequence are the same either way.
Also known as: jaw surgery, orthognathic surgery, LeFort osteotomy, underbite surgery, bite correction surgery.