The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of teeth and gum disease secondary to medications prescribed for his lumbar spine disability was denied. The claims for increased ratings for the lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and epididymitis and prostatitis were also denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for favorable ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine or unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine/range of motion to warrant a higher rating. The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy was found to be mild, and his epididymitis and prostatitis did not meet the criteria for obstructed voiding requiring intermittent or continuous catherization.
- Claimed conditions
- periodontal disease, rampant dental caries
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2018
- Citation
- 18142455
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 18142455.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for periodontal disease and remanded the issue of a right knee disability for further development.
- Partly granted
The claim for service connection for a dental condition, to include periodontal disease, was reopened based on new and material evidence but not fully granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection of a dental disability for purposes of VA compensation and treatment due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a dental disorder, diagnosed as periodontal disease, for compensation purposes, finding that the Veteran does not have a dental disability subject to service connection.
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