The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current gum disease or dental disability due to dental trauma during active military service and denied his claim for service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examination did not find any evidence of a dental disability related to the 1994 injury, and noted that periodontal disease is caused by poor oral hygiene and smoking rather than military service or trauma.
- Claimed conditions
- gum deterioration, periodontal disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2015
- Citation
- 1518497
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 1518497.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's periodontal disease is service-connected for treatment purposes only, given his current 100% schedular evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient examination and a pre-decisional duty to assist error. A new VA examination is required.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disorder (periodontal disease) as there was no new and relevant evidence received since the June 2019 rating decision to support her claim.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused him to need regular aid and attendance, leading to a grant of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance. The issue of entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate is dismissed as moot.
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