The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disability for VA compensation benefits is denied as he does not have a compensable dental disorder.
The deciding factor: The Veteran entered service with rampant caries and many non-restorable teeth. After discharge, VA completed significant dental work consisting of crowns and partial dentures to restore pre-existing dental conditions. The examiner concluded that it was less likely than not that a dental disability was incurred in or caused by service.
- Claimed conditions
- dental disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19179923
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 Board granted service connection for pancreatitis, GERD, and a dental disorder as secondary to the Veteran's throat cancer, but denied an initial compensable rating for throat cancer under DC 6819. The Board also granted a 20 percent rating for urinary frequency as a residual of prostate cancer.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for alcohol use disorder, remanded the claim for a dental disorder, and remanded the initial compensable rating for hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a dental disorder and chin scar for further development, including scheduling VA examinations to determine their etiology.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a dental disorder for compensation purposes, as there was no evidence of loss of substance of the maxilla or mandible.
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