ICD-10 Guide

Temporomandibular Joint

ICD-10 Coding for Temporomandibular Joint Disorders(M26.601, M26.62, M26.633)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYDentistry

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Temporomandibular Joint?

Essential facts and insights about Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Key Clinical Considerations:

Jaw pain or tenderness
Clicking or popping sounds in the jaw
Limited range of motion in the jaw
Headaches or earaches
Facial pain

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Patient history and symptom description
Clinical examination findings
Imaging results (if applicable)
Treatment plan and response to treatment

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Usage guidelines: Use specific codes based on the type of TMJ disorder.
Common errors: Misclassifying TMJ disorders or failing to document symptoms adequately.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Excluded conditions: Fractures of the mandible, dental abscesses.
Alternative codes: Consider using codes for related conditions if TMJ is not the primary issue.

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Dentistry

Specialty Applications

Patient populations: Adults and adolescents with TMJ disorders.
Clinical settings: Dental offices, oral surgery clinics, and pain management centers.

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

Comprehensive clinical documentation
Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
Proper exclusion considerations
Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Ensure proper documentation for billing
Verify code specificity requirements
Check for any additional codes needed
Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

Insufficient clinical documentation
Incorrect code selection
Missing supporting diagnoses
Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Include detailed patient history, clinical findings, and treatment plans.

Billing considerations?

Ensure accurate coding to reflect the specific TMJ disorder and associated treatments.

Temporomandibular Joint

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?

Temporomandibular Joint

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?