D7320Alveoloplasty Not in Conjunction With Extractions - Four or More Teeth or Tooth Spaces, Per Quadrant

What This Code Covers

D7320 covers the surgical reshaping of a healed alveolar ridge involving four or more tooth spaces in a quadrant, performed without any extractions at the same visit. This is preprosthetic surgery done to improve the ridge contour for denture fitting on a patient who has been edentulous (missing teeth) in that area for some time. The procedure removes bony irregularities, undercuts, or prominent bone ridges that prevent comfortable denture wear.

Billing Guide

Bill this code when:

• Alveoloplasty is performed on a healed ridge without any extractions
• Four or more tooth spaces in one quadrant are involved
• The bone ridge is recontoured for denture fabrication or comfort
• The procedure addresses bony irregularities on a previously healed extraction site

Do not bill this code when:

• Extractions are performed at the same visit. Use D7310
• Fewer than four tooth spaces are involved. Use D7321
• A torus or exostosis is removed. Use D7340 or D7341
• The surgery is for implant site preparation (different codes apply)

Insurance and Denial Prevention

Key Payer Rules:

• D7320 is a preprosthetic surgery code
• Most payers require documentation of a planned prosthesis (denture or partial)
• The procedure should be clearly distinct from alveoloplasty with extractions (D7310)
• Some payers may question the timing if the area has been edentulous for a long time

Common Denials and How to Respond:

• No prosthesis planned - Submit documentation of the planned denture or partial and explain that the ridge recontouring is required for prosthetic success.
• Should be D7310 - Clarify that no extractions were performed. The ridge was previously healed and the surgery was performed solely to improve the ridge contour.
• Not medically necessary - Document the specific ridge problems (sharp edges, undercuts, prominent bone) that prevent comfortable prosthesis use.