The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a dental condition due to insufficient reasoning and lack of adequate medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the April 2017 VA examiner's opinion was inadequate for rating purposes and did not ensure compliance with duty-to-assist requirements.
- Claimed conditions
- deterioration of bottom teeth, gums, jawline
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 9, 2023
- Citation
- 23049929
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 23049929.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for compensation purposes for dental disabilities of the teeth, gums, and jawbones have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability corresponding to those conditions listed in VA regulations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental and mouth disorder is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records, conduct a VA examination, and determine if her current dental disorders are related to in-service trauma.
- Denied
The veteran's lower lip numbness, including lower teeth, gums, chin area and jaw/nasal reflux, was not caused by VA medical treatment. Therefore, the claim for disability compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.