M26.33 identifies horizontal displacement of a fully erupted tooth or teeth — including tipped teeth and tipping of fully erupted teeth — within the dentofacial anomalies classification.
Verified May 8, 2026 · 4 sources ↓
- Status
- Billable
- Chapter
- 13
- Related CPT
- 0
- Region
- Other
Documentation tips
What should appear in the chart to support M26.33.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 4 cited references ↓
- Specify that the tooth is fully erupted — without this, the code cannot be defended over impaction codes under K01.-.
- Document the direction of displacement explicitly (horizontal/lateral tipping) to distinguish from vertical displacement (M26.34) or rotation (M26.35).
- Identify which tooth or teeth are affected by number or name (e.g., tooth #9, maxillary central incisor) to support clinical specificity in the record even though the code does not require it.
- If co-existing functional jaw abnormalities are present (e.g., limited mandibular range of motion, abnormal jaw closure), document and code those separately under M26.5x.
- Record any imaging findings — periapical or panoramic radiograph results showing angulation change or drift — to substantiate the displacement diagnosis.
Common coding pitfalls
The recurring mistakes coders make with M26.33 and adjacent codes.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CDC ICD-10-CM tabular guidance, AAOS coding references, and cited references ↓
- Assigning M26.33 when the tooth is impacted or embedded — those cases require K01.- under the Excludes2 rule at the M26.3 level; M26.33 is restricted to fully erupted teeth only.
- Using the non-billable parent code M26.3 instead of the specific M26.33; M26.3 will not pass claim edits as a standalone billable diagnosis.
- Confusing horizontal displacement (M26.33) with vertical displacement (M26.34) — the displacement axis must be documented clearly; defaulting to M26.33 when direction is unspecified is incorrect.
- Omitting co-existing dentofacial functional codes (M26.5x) when the tipping is contributing to malocclusion or jaw dysfunction that is also documented and treated.
Clinical context
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 4 cited references ↓
M26.33 applies when a fully erupted tooth has shifted laterally from its normal position along the dental arch, a condition clinically described as tipping or horizontal displacement. The key qualifier is 'fully erupted' — this code does not apply to impacted or embedded teeth, which fall under K01.- and are excluded by the Excludes2 note at the M26.3 parent level. Horizontal displacement is distinct from vertical displacement (M26.34) or rotation (M26.35), so the direction of tooth movement must be documented to support M26.33 specifically.
This code sits under parent M26.3 (Anomalies of tooth position of fully erupted tooth or teeth), which is non-billable. M26.33 is the billable, specific code. Use it when the provider documents tipping, horizontal shift, or lateral displacement of erupted dentition — whether one tooth or multiple. The code does not carry laterality or arch-specific subclassification, so right vs. left or maxillary vs. mandibular does not change the code assignment, though that detail should still appear in the clinical note for completeness.
M26.33 is most commonly assigned in orthodontic, oral surgery, or maxillofacial contexts, but it may also appear in orthopedic or general practice records when jaw and dentofacial anomalies intersect with TMJ or craniofacial conditions. If functional jaw abnormalities co-exist (e.g., M26.51–M26.57), code both conditions when documented and clinically relevant.
Inclusion & exclusion notes
Per the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List.
Source · CDC ICD-10-CM Official Tabular List · 2026
Includes
- Tipped tooth or teeth
- Tipping of fully erupted tooth
Sibling codes
Other billable codes under M26.3 (laterality / anatomic variants).
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 4 cited references ↓
01Does M26.33 require laterality documentation?
02Can M26.33 be used for an impacted tooth that is also tipped?
03What is the difference between M26.33 and M26.34?
04Is M26.33 appropriate when multiple teeth are displaced?
05Can M26.33 be reported alongside TMJ or jaw functional codes?
06Is M26.33 valid for FY2026 claims?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.
- 01CDC ICD-10-CM Tabular List 2026 (effective October 1, 2025)
- 02icd10data.comhttps://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/M00-M99/M26-M27/M26-/M26.33
- 03aapc.comhttps://www.aapc.com/codes/icd-10-codes/M26.33
- 04cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/files/document/fy-2026-icd-10-cm-coding-guidelines.pdf
Mira AI Scribe
Mira's AI scribe captures the eruption status of the affected tooth, the direction of displacement (horizontal/lateral tipping), the specific tooth or teeth involved, and any supporting imaging findings such as panoramic or periapical radiograph angulation. This prevents downcoding to the non-billable parent M26.3, avoids misassignment to impaction codes under K01.-, and distinguishes M26.33 from the adjacent vertical displacement code M26.34.
See how Mira captures M26.33 documentation