Published September 2026

1 of 5A cut inside the mouth or on the face is first cleaned
  1. A cut inside the mouth or on the face is first cleaned
  2. A deeper cut is closed in layers, from the inside out
  3. Then the surface is stitched to hold it together while it heals
  4. How many stitches it takes depends on the length of the cut
  5. Inside the mouth, stitches often dissolve on their own rather than being taken out

Who usually does it

oral surgeon. Small cuts in any office; larger wounds by an oral surgeon or hospital.

One question worth asking

Do these stitches dissolve, or do they come out at a visit?

Complex stitching, larger cut

Jaw and mouth surgeryMajorD7912

D7912. A wound over about two inches that needs layered closure.

Stitching a cut in the mouth or face, or covering an area with a skin graft. Codes differ by the length and complexity of the wound.

A cut inside the mouth or on the face is cleaned, closed in layers if it is deep, and stitched. Codes climb with the length of the wound and how complicated the repair is, and a skin graft has its own line. Stitches inside the mouth often dissolve on their own rather than being taken out.

Complex stitching, larger cut (D7912): what happens, step by step | TruthMolar