The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of teeth, including as due to an undiagnosed illness, is denied. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran has a dental disorder for which compensation may be paid.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no objective indications of a qualifying chronic disability and opined that the loss of teeth was more likely due to known clinical diagnoses such as dental caries, periodontal disease, and occlusal trauma. The examiner also stated it was highly likely that the Veteran's dental conditions were a result of genetic predisposition, nutritional choices, and non-compliance with adequate homecare and regular professional preventative dental visits.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of teeth
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 22, 2018
- Citation
- 1829138
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 1829138.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for compensation under 38 USC § 1151 for loss of teeth, and the appeal is dismissed.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, CAD, and bilateral lower extremity nerve damage, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for loss of teeth was denied as her disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 9913.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for telogen effluvium (claimed as hair loss) was also denied, as there is no evidence that she has lost all body hair.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's attempts to appeal the denial of service connection for loss of teeth were not timely filed, and thus their appeals are dismissed.
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