The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a dental disability for compensation purposes. The Veteran's claim was denied in July 2005 because there was no evidence of in-service trauma; however, some of the evidence received since then relates to the previously unestablished fact of in-service incurrence of dental injury.
The deciding factor: The new and material evidence includes photographs and x-rays of the Veteran's teeth and dental bridges, additional lay statements from the Veteran, his wife, and friends, and VA treatment records. Some of this evidence is considered 'material' as it relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- dental disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2018
- Citation
- 1817017
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 1817017.
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.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and a need to obtain more information from the Veteran.
- Granted
The Veteran's oropharyngeal cancer with soft palate reconstruction is granted service connection, and the claim for a dental disability secondary to this condition is remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his attorney, and the Board is dismissing the case.
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