The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the diagnosis and service connection for TMJ. The Veteran's history of dental issues, including a mouth guard used for symptom alleviation, is noted.
The deciding factor: There are conflicting diagnoses and lack of recent medical examination relevant to the current condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20079358
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 20079358.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The reduction in the rating for service-connected TMJ from 30 percent to 10 percent was improper, and the 30 percent rating is restored.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew her claim for an earlier effective date for the assigned 10 percent rating for service-connected TMJ, and this appeal is dismissed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran's TMJ may be related to his in-service bicycle accident, but a VA examination is needed to determine if this is the case.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for TMJ as the current disorder was not shown to be causally related to in-service injuries.
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