D7270 is the CDT code for the reimplantation and/or stabilization of a tooth that has been accidentally knocked out (evulsed) or displaced by trauma, including the splinting and/or stabilization of the tooth. It is an emergency trauma code, not a routine extraction code.
Informational only — confirm the official CDT descriptor and your payers' rules independently. This is general guidance, not billing, coding, or clinical advice.
When to Use the D7270 Code
Report D7270 when a tooth has been accidentally evulsed (completely knocked out) or significantly displaced by trauma and the dentist reimplants and/or stabilizes it, including any splinting needed to hold it in position while the area heals. It is used in acute trauma situations — sports injuries, falls, accidents.
Distinguish it from related procedures:
- D7270 is for trauma reimplantation/stabilization, not for the surgical removal of a tooth (the D7140–D7250 extraction codes).
- Repositioning displaced teeth without evulsion is still within the spirit of D7270 when stabilization is performed, but confirm the specific scenario against the descriptor and payer rules.
- Definitive treatment that follows — such as a root canal on the reimplanted tooth — is reported separately under its own code.
Documentation & Clinical Scenarios
Trauma claims rely on clear injury documentation:
- Tooth number and a description of the traumatic event (how and when the injury occurred).
- A radiograph assessing the socket, the tooth, and any associated injury.
- The procedure — reimplantation and/or repositioning, plus the splinting/stabilization performed.
- A narrative noting the time elapsed since injury when relevant, and the stabilization method used.
Because the injury context drives medical necessity and coordination of benefits (medical vs. dental), the chart should clearly establish that this was accidental trauma.
Insurance & Billing Tips
- Verify benefits and check medical coverage. Accidental dental trauma is sometimes covered under a patient's medical plan; coordinate dental and medical benefits.
- Document the accident. The traumatic event, date, and mechanism support medical necessity and any cross-over claim.
- Bill follow-up care separately. Root canal therapy, restorations, or later splint removal are their own codes, not part of D7270.
- Attach imaging and a narrative. A radiograph plus a short trauma narrative reduces the chance of a denial.
- Read the EOB carefully. Trauma claims are frequently reviewed; a clear injury narrative supports an appeal if denied.
Example Case
A 15-year-old is brought in after a soccer collision knocked a front tooth completely out; a parent transported the tooth promptly. The dentist examines tooth #8, confirms the socket is intact on a periapical radiograph, reimplants the tooth, and stabilizes it with a flexible splint to the adjacent teeth — reported as D7270, with a narrative documenting the accidental trauma and the time since injury. Follow-up evaluation and any root canal therapy on the reimplanted tooth are billed separately. Because the trauma was documented and medical coordination checked, the claim processes cleanly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does D7270 include the root canal or restoration that follows?
No. D7270 covers the reimplantation and/or stabilization of the evulsed or displaced tooth, including the splinting. Definitive follow-up treatment — endodontic therapy on the reimplanted tooth, any restoration, and later splint removal — is reported separately under its own CDT codes. Billing the follow-up care on the same line as D7270 can cause a bundling denial, so each subsequent procedure belongs on its own line.
Is D7270 billed to dental or medical insurance?
It depends on the patient's coverage. Because the procedure responds to accidental trauma, the injury is sometimes covered under the patient's medical plan rather than (or in addition to) the dental plan. Coordinate benefits by checking both, and document the accident — what happened, when, and how — to support a medical cross-over claim. The right answer varies by carrier and policy, so verify before submitting.
How is D7270 different from an extraction code?
The D7140–D7250 extraction codes describe removing a tooth or roots. D7270 is the opposite intent — it describes saving a tooth that trauma has knocked out or displaced by putting it back and stabilizing it. They are not interchangeable: using an extraction code for a reimplantation, or D7270 for a removal, misrepresents the procedure and will not match the clinical record.
Does D7270 require pre-authorization?
Because evulsion is an emergency, treatment is rendered immediately and pre-authorization is generally not feasible. The emphasis instead is on thorough after-the-fact documentation — the trauma narrative, the date and mechanism of injury, imaging, and the stabilization method — submitted with the claim. Coordinating dental and medical benefits and providing a clear injury narrative are what support payment and any appeal on a trauma reimplantation.
Confirm the current CDT descriptor and your specific payer policies before billing — browse the full dental code library or see our insurance verification feature.