The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for all of his missing teeth, except for a few specific teeth. The issue of residuals of malnutrition is still pending as new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen this claim.
The deciding factor: The veteran provided credible testimony regarding the extraction of all but three of his teeth in service due to an infection or periodontal disease, which was not related to a combat injury. The Board found that these circumstances supported service connection for the loss of all teeth.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of all teeth
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- June 23, 2005
- Citation
- 0517159
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0517159.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's loss of all teeth can be restored by a suitable prosthesis, thus not meeting the criteria for a compensable rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases due to additional VA treatment records being added to the claims file since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The Veteran was asked if he wished to waive AOJ review, but no response was received. As such, the appeal is now with the AOJ for initial consideration.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, as they significantly restrict his movements, impair his ability to focus on work tasks, and cause frequent bathroom breaks.
- Granted
The Veteran's partial loss of tongue and loss of all teeth have been granted initial ratings of 30 percent and 40 percent, respectively.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.