2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M26.36Insufficient interocclusal distance of fully erupted teeth (ridge)

ICD-10-CM CodesM00–M99M26-M27M26

ICD-10-CM M26.36
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

M26.36 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for insufficient interocclusal distance of fully erupted teeth (ridge). It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 157 through 159. Coders also document this condition as angular cheilitis. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Any dental condition including traumatic injury, Disorders of jaw, and Disorders of teeth and gingiva.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
M26.36
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Insufficient interocclusal distance of fully erupted teeth (ridge)
Short Description
Insufficient interocclusal distance of fully erupted teeth
Parent Code
Anomalies of tooth position of fully erupted tooth or teeth

Code Classification

ChapterM00–M99Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
SectionM26-M27Dentofacial anomalies [including malocclusion] and other disorders of jaw
CategoryM26Dentofacial anomalies [including malocclusion]
This CodeM26.36Insufficient interocclusal distance of fully erupted teeth (ridge)

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Angular cheilitis
  • Angular cheilitis due to lack of adequate intermaxillary vertical dimension
  • Lack of adequate intermaxillary vertical dimension

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Lack of adequate intermaxillary vertical dimension of fully erupted teeth

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Insufficiency, insufficient
      • interocclusal distance of fully erupted teeth (ridge)
    • Lack of
      • adequate
        • intermaxillary vertical dimension of fully erupted teeth

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR DEN001
Any dental condition including traumatic injury
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No
CCSR MUS029
Disorders of jaw
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes
CCSR DIG002
Disorders of teeth and gingiva
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No
CCSR DEN002
Nontraumatic dental conditions
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No

Patient EducationClinical

Tooth Disorders

Your teeth are made of a hard, bonelike material. There are four parts:

The full article covers:

  • What are teeth?
  • What are tooth disorders?
  • What causes tooth disorders?
  • What are the symptoms of tooth disorders?
  • How are tooth disorders diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for tooth disorders?
  • Can tooth disorders be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert M26.36 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
524.36 Insuf interocclusl-teeth
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About M26.36Overview

Is M26.36 (Anomalies of tooth position of fully erupted tooth or teeth) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report insufficient interocclusal distance of fully erupted teeth (ridge) on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does M26.36 group to?

When insufficient interocclusal distance of fully erupted teeth (ridge) is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 157, 158, 159, with relative weights from 0.7085 to 1.7168 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of M26.36?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, insufficient interocclusal distance of fully erupted teeth (ridge) converts to ICD-9-CM 524.36 (insuf interocclusl-teeth). The mapping is a direct match.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.