What is dental code D7953?

D7953: Bone Replacement Graft for Ridge Preservation - Per Site - Dental Procedure Code DescriptionWhen a tooth is extracted from its place within the alveolar bone tissue that houses it, the tissue undergoes what is known as resorption, or a "breakdown" at the cellular level that takes its component materials and disperses them elsewhere throughout the body. In layman's terms, this bony material is essentially "taken" back "into" the body for other use.

This resorption of bone tissue causes a number of complications for future implants, prosthetics, and general aesthetics, because in resorbing the bone height recedes so much it can change facial features and prevent effective restorative dentistry. As a result, many dentists prefer to proactively stunt this resorption by using a bone graft as covered in dental procedure code D7953. Bone grafts can be used immediately after an extraction or months or years after the loss of a tooth. This procedure is also commonly referred to as "socket preservation."