The veteran's TMJ syndrome does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as he is able to open his mouth in excess of 40mm and there is no evidence of TMJ lateral excursion.
The deciding factor: The examination showed that the veteran could open his mouth in excess of 40mm and had no evidence of TMJ lateral excursion, which did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under the applicable diagnostic code.
- Claimed conditions
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2008
- Citation
- 0834201
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0834201.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, TMJ syndrome, and a sleep disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is service-connected due to credible evidence of exposure to combat-compatible circumstances during his Southeast Asia service. The chronic back, hip, and TMJ disorders are not service-connected as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service or any other service-connected condition.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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