D7998 — Intraoral fixation device (not for a fracture)
D7998 fits an intraoral device to stabilise teeth for some reason other than a fracture.
One of 24 facial fracture treatment and wound repair codes. If you are trying to understand the treatment, start with the facial fracture treatment and wound repair guide; if you are trying to understand this line on your estimate, you are in the right place.
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.
The nearby codes and how they differ
D7997 — Appliance removal (not by the dentist who placed it): It removes an appliance that a different dentist placed, and is billed by the practice picking the case up.
D7920 — Skin graft (oral/maxillofacial): It grafts skin to an oral or facial site, usually to close a defect left by surgery or injury.
D7912 — Complicated suture — greater than 5 cm: It is the complicated variant, requiring a supporting narrative.
D7911 — Complicated suture — up to 5 cm: It is the complicated variant, requiring a supporting narrative.
D7998 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 D7998
What does dental code D7998 mean?
The procedure behind the number is intraoral fixation device, not for a fracture, filed under oral and maxillofacial surgery.
How much does D7998 cost?
Expect $400–$1,200. Ask for the number in writing, because the code carries no fee of its own and every practice sets its own.
Will my plan pay for D7998?
Yes on most policies, treated as medical / oral surgery work at variable. A waiting period on a new policy is the commonest reason it is not.
What is the difference between D7998 and D7997?
D7997 is appliance removal, not by the dentist who placed it: it removes an appliance that a different dentist placed, and is billed by the practice picking the case up. Because they describe different work, D7998 and D7997 can legitimately appear on the same treatment plan — they are not alternatives to choose between.
Also known as: jaw fracture, facial trauma, open reduction, closed reduction, maxillofacial injury.