D7972 — Surgical reduction of fibrous tuberosity
D7972 reduces a fibrous tuberosity — the same bulge behind the upper molars, but soft tissue rather than bone.
This is one of eleven closely related ridge and soft-tissue reshaping codes. The treatment is explained in full in the ridge and soft-tissue reshaping guide — this page is about what makes this particular code different.
The detail below covers what the code obliges the record to show, the range of fees, the likely insurance outcome, and a comparison drawn code by code.
D7972 against the codes beside it
D7971 — Excision of pericoronal gingiva: It removes the flap of gum lying over a partly erupted tooth, most often the wisdom-tooth gum that keeps trapping food and swelling.
D7970 — Excision of hyperplastic tissue — per arch: It cuts away overgrown gum across a whole arch, usually tissue that has thickened under an ill-fitting denture.
D7485 — Surgical reduction of osseous tuberosity: It is the same procedure with one word changed: osseous rather than fibrous.
D7473 — Removal of torus mandibularis: It removes a torus mandibularis, the bony bump on the tongue side of the lower jaw that gets in the way of a lower denture.
D7972 sits in a group of eleven codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. The distinction is clinical, not administrative: each of these describes work that was genuinely done differently, and the fee follows the work.
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 D7972
What is D7972 on my dental bill?
D7972 records surgical reduction of fibrous tuberosity — one of the oral and maxillofacial surgery codes.
What is the typical fee for D7972?
Typically $400–$1,100 before insurance, depending on local fees and the complexity of the individual case.
How do dental plans handle D7972?
Most plans include it under major oral surgery benefits, typically 50–80%. A pre-treatment estimate is the only way to know your own number in advance.
What is the difference between D7972 and D7971?
D7971 is excision of pericoronal gingiva: it removes the flap of gum lying over a partly erupted tooth, most often the wisdom-tooth gum that keeps trapping food and swelling. These are not two versions of one procedure: they are separate treatments, and a plan assesses each on its own merits.
Also known as: alveoloplasty, torus removal, bony lump, ridge reshaping, denture preparation.