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    OpenPayerBilling CodesIncision Procedures on the Vestibule of MouthCPT cpt-40805-oral-vestibule-foreign-body-removal
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    CPT 40805: Removal of Foreign Body From Oral Vestibule

    Medicare pays $302 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 40805 describes removal of a foreign body from the vestibule or anterior portion of the oral cavity and is used when the procedure is complex or requires extended operative time; the operative report should document the additional complexity and time. Service type: minor oral surgery / foreign body removal; typical site of service: ambulatory surgery center, hospital outpatient department, or dental/oral surgery clinic.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Orthognathic Surgery, Temporomandibular Disorders - Nonsurgical Treatment, Temporomandibular Disorders.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical patient is an adult who presents to an outpatient oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic, dental clinic, or emergency department after experiencing oral trauma or discovery of a retained foreign object in the anterior oral cavity or vestibule (for example, fragments of tooth, dental hardware, lodged metal, fish bone, or glass). The patient reports localized pain, swelling, bleeding, foreign body sensation, or minor infection. The clinician performs an oral examination with visualization and palpation of the vestibule and anterior oral cavity, documents the foreign body's size and location, and determines that removal is feasible in the clinic or ED setting.

    The procedure is performed with local anesthesia (topical and/or infiltration) and appropriate instrumentation (forceps, curettes, small hemostats, or suction). For straightforward, brief removals, a shorter procedure note documents time and technique. When removal is technically difficult because of depth, friable tissue, embedded fragments, patient factors (limited cooperation), or prolonged dissection and hemostasis, the operative report documents the added complexity and extended time. Post-procedure care includes hemostasis, irrigation, tetanus status assessment, wound care instructions, and follow-up for signs of infection or retained fragments. Typical sites of service are clinic, dental office, ambulatory surgery center, or emergency department depending on complexity and patient stability.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    40805Removal of foreign body from vestibule or anterior oral cavity — extended/complex casesPrimary code for complex or time-extended removal; documents additional time/complexity in the operative note.
    40800Removal of foreign body from vestibule or anterior oral cavity — simpleUsed for straightforward removals that do not require extended time or have no added complexity; alternative to 40805 when uncomplicated.
    21010Incision and drainage of facial abscess; extra-oralMay be performed if there is an associated extra-oral abscess requiring drainage related to infected retained foreign body.
    41826Extraction, complicated, displaced tooth, requiring extensive bone removal and/or sectioningPerformed if removal of embedded tooth fragment or dental root requires surgical extraction techniques beyond simple foreign body removal.
    99499Unlisted evaluation and management serviceMay be used for atypical or complex evaluation not captured by standard E/M codes when documentation supports an unlisted service (billing requirements vary).

    Related Modifiers

    13 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    23Modifier -23 (Unusual Anesthesia) is used on anesthesia service CPT codes when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia…- Use modifier -23 only on anesthesia CPT codes (00100–01999) when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia because of…
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    54Modifier ‑54 (“Surgical care only”) is appended to a CPT surgical procedure when the reporting surgeon performs the intraoperative (surgical) component but does not furnish the preoperative and/or…- Use modifier -54 when the reporting surgeon provided only the intraoperative (surgical) component of a procedure and preoperative and/or postoperative management has been or will be provided by…
    55Modifier –55 indicates the billing provider furnished only postoperative management for a procedure that has a global surgical period. According to AAPC, this modifier is appended to the same CPT…- Use modifier -55 when billing the same CPT surgical code that has a 10- or 90-day global period and you, as a provider other than the original surgeon, furnished ONLY postoperative management (no…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…
    66Modifier 66 (Surgical Team) is used when three or more surgeons act as primary surgeons on a single, highly complex procedure. The AMA defines it for use when a surgical team — often composed of…- Use modifier 66 when three or more surgeons act as primary surgeons working collaboratively as a surgical team on a single, highly complex or difficult procedure (for example organ…
    73Modifier 73 indicates a facility-level outpatient hospital or ASC procedure that was discontinued after the patient was prepared and taken to the procedure/operating room but before any anesthesia…- When to use: Apply CPT modifier 73 on the FACILITY (outpatient hospital or ASC) claim when the patient has been fully prepared and physically taken into the procedure/operating room but the…

    Showing 1–10 of 13

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    1223G0001X
    208000000X
    207P00000X
    207L00000X
    175F00000X
    251G00000X
    261QD0000X
    213EP0504X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    23 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    F10.99Alcohol use, unspecified with unspecified alcohol-induced disorder
    K02.9Dental caries, unspecified
    K05.6Periodontal disease, unspecified
    K09.8Other cysts of oral region, not elsewhere classified
    K11.5Sialolithiasis
    K11.6Mucocele of salivary gland
    K13.0Diseases of lips
    K13.79Other lesions of oral mucosa
    R09.81Nasal congestion
    R13.10Dysphagia, unspecified

    Showing 1–10 of 23

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Dental/Oral & Maxillofacial1 / 2

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Orthognathic SurgeryCigna2026-10-15
    Temporomandibular Disorders - Nonsurgical TreatmentCareSource Georgia2026-10-01
    Temporomandibular DisordersAnthem2026-10-01
    Treatment of Temporomandibular Joint DisordersUnitedHealthcare2026-10-01
    IV Moderate Sedation, IV Deep Sedation, and General Anesthesia for Dental ProceduresAmbetter Georgia2026-10-01
    Orthognathic SurgeryPremera Bluecross2026-09-04
    Orthognathic SurgeryPremera Bluecross2026-09-04
    9.02.501 Orthognathic SurgeryPremera Bluecross2026-09-04
    Oral Surgery: Orthodontic Related ProceduresUnitedHealthcare2026-09-01
    Orthognathic SurgeryProvidence Health Plan2026-09-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-40800-ORAL-VESTIBULE-ABSCESS-DRAINAGE

    CPT 40800: Oral Vestibule Abscess/Cyst/Hematoma Drainage

    CPT-40801-ORAL-VESTIBULE-INCISION-DRAINAGE-COMPLEX

    CPT 40801: Drainage of Abscess/Cyst/Hematoma, Anterior Oral Vestibule

    CPT-40804-ORAL-VESTIBULE-FOREIGN-BODY-REMOVAL-SIMPLE

    CPT 40804: Removal of Foreign Body from Oral Vestibule

    CPT-40806-LABIAL-FRENUM-INCISION

    CPT 40806: Incision of Labial Frenum (Frenotomy)

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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