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Published September 2026

1 of 5Treatment for the jaw joint covers a wide range, from a quick fix to hospital surgery
  1. Treatment for the jaw joint covers a wide range, from a quick fix to hospital surgery
  2. At the simple end, a jaw that has slipped out of place is eased back in within minutes
  3. In the middle, the joint is flushed clear through thin needles, or looked at with a small scope
  4. At the far end, the joint is opened to repair the disc or reshape the bone underneath
  5. Which level is used depends on the joint and what has already been tried

Who usually does it

oral surgeon. Oral surgeon, usually in a hospital or surgery center for open surgery.

One question worth asking

What has been tried before surgery, and what does recovery look like?

Scope surgery to free jaw joint adhesions

Jaw and mouth surgeryMajorD7873

D7873. Sticky bands inside the joint are released through a scope.

Procedures on the jaw joint itself, from putting a dislocated jaw back in place to flushing the joint with a needle, scope surgery, and open surgery on the joint disc or bone. Splints for the joint are in the appliances family.

The range here is wide. At the simple end, a dislocated jaw is eased back into place in minutes. In the middle, the joint is flushed through needles or looked at with a small scope. At the far end, the joint is opened to repair or remove the disc or reshape the bone, usually in a hospital. Splints for the same joint sit in the mouthguards family. Most plans file this as Major. What they actually pay varies by plan.

Codes for this

D7810MajorSurgically resetting a dislocated jawThe jaw joint is put back in place with surgery.per visit · Rarely doneD7820BasicResetting a dislocated jaw by handThe jaw is guided back into place without surgery.per visit · Rarely doneD7830MajorMoving the jaw under anesthesiaThe jaw is stretched or moved while you are asleep to free it up.per visit · Rarely doneD7840MajorRemoving the jaw joint condyleThe rounded end of the jawbone in the joint is removed.per visit · Rarely doneD7850MajorRemoving the jaw joint discThe cushioning disc inside the joint is removed by open surgery.per visit · Rarely doneD7852MajorRepairing the jaw joint discThe disc is repaired rather than removed.per visit · Rarely doneD7854MajorRemoving the jaw joint liningThe inflamed lining of the joint is removed by open surgery.per visit · Rarely doneD7856MajorCutting a jaw muscleA tight jaw muscle is cut to release it.per visit · Rarely doneD7858MajorRebuilding the jaw jointThe joint is reconstructed, sometimes with an artificial joint.per visit · Rarely doneD7860MajorOpening the jaw jointThe joint is opened surgically for treatment.per visit · Rarely doneD7865MajorReshaping the jaw joint boneThe bone surfaces of the joint are reshaped.per visit · Rarely doneD7870MajorFlushing the jaw joint with a needleFluid is drawn out or the joint is rinsed with a needle; the least invasive joint procedure.per visit · Done sometimesD7871MajorFlushing and moving the joint without a scopeThe joint is rinsed and moved without a camera.per visit · Rarely doneD7872MajorScope exam of the jaw jointA tiny camera looks inside the joint, with or without a tissue sample.per visit · Rarely doneD7873MajorScope surgery to free jaw joint adhesionsSticky bands inside the joint are released through a scope.per visit · Rarely doneD7874MajorScope surgery to reposition the discThe disc is moved back into place through a scope.per visit · Rarely doneD7875MajorScope surgery to remove the joint liningThe inflamed lining is removed through a scope.per visit · Rarely doneD7876MajorScope surgery to remove the discThe disc is removed through a scope.per visit · Rarely doneD7877MajorScope surgery to clean the jointThe joint is cleaned out through a scope.per visit · Rarely done
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Related

Scope surgery to free jaw joint adhesions (D7873): what happens, step by step | TruthMolar