D9944 — Occlusal guard — hard, full arch (night guard)
D9944 is the hard full-arch guard worn at night to protect the teeth from grinding.
Of the three codes covering occlusal guard, this is the one that appears most often on treatment plans, so it is the figure most people are quoted. For the procedure itself — how the appointments run, how long the result lasts, what the alternatives are — see our occlusal guard guide.
What follows: the specifics built into the number, the money, the benefit treatment, and the line separating it from the codes it is easiest to confuse it with.
Reading D9944
Counted — per arch, so treating both jaws produces two charges rather than one.
D9944 compared with its closest relatives
D9945 — Soft night guard, full arch: It is the soft version of that night guard: cheaper and more comfortable, but shorter-lived.
D9130 — TMJ therapy (non-invasive physical therapies): It is non-invasive physical therapy for the jaw joint — exercises, heat, manipulation, ultrasound — rather than an appliance or surgery.
Those two codes and D9944 are the whole group — nothing else describes this procedure. The descriptions differ by a few words and the fees differ by a great deal, which is why mixing them up is one of the commonest billing errors in dentistry. Ask which of these codes is being submitted and why.
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.
| Code | Procedure |
|---|---|
| D9944 | Occlusal guard — hard, full arch (night guard) — this page |
| D9130 | TMJ therapy (non-invasive physical therapies) |
| D9945 | Soft night guard, full arch |
Questions about D9944
What does dental code D9944 mean?
On a claim, D9944 tells the insurer that what was performed was occlusal guard, hard, full arch, night guard.
What is the typical fee for D9944?
Expect $400–$1,000. 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 D9944?
Plans generally pay it as adjunctive treatment, 0–50%, subject to whatever is left of your maximum for the year.
Also known as: night guard, occlusal guard, bruxism, teeth grinding, splint, clenching.