VA Diagnostic Code 9902Mandible, loss of, including ramus, unilaterally or bilaterally
Rated from 10% to 70% under § 4.150. Here is what the VA requires at each level.
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What each rating requires
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- 70%
Loss of one-half or more, Involving temporomandibular articulation Not replaceable by prosthesis
- 50%
Loss of one-half or more, Involving temporomandibular articulation Replaceable by prosthesis
- 40%
Loss of one-half or more, Not involving temporomandibular articulation. Not replaceable by prosthesis
- 30%
Loss of one-half or more, Not involving temporomandibular articulation. Replaceable by prosthesis
- 70%
Loss of less than one-half, Involving temporomandibular articulation. Not replaceable by prosthesis
- 50%
Loss of less than one-half, Involving temporomandibular articulation. Replaceable by prosthesis
- 20%
Loss of less than one-half, Not involving temporomandibular articulation. Not replaceable by prosthesis
- 10%
Loss of less than one-half, Not involving temporomandibular articulation. Replaceable by prosthesis
Notes on this code
These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.
- Note (1): For VA compensation purposes, diagnostic imaging studies include, but are not limited to, conventional radiography (X-ray), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), radionuclide bone scanning, or ultrasonography
- Note (2): Separately evaluate loss of vocal articulation, loss of smell, loss of taste, neurological impairment, respiratory dysfunction, and other impairments under the appropriate diagnostic code and combine under § 4.25 for each separately rated condition
Loss of the Mandible (Diagnostic Code 9902)
VA Disability Rating for Loss of the Lower Jaw — Including the Ramus
Body System: Dental and Oral Conditions · Rated under 38 CFR § 4.150
What This Condition Is
Diagnostic Code 9902 covers the loss of the mandible — the lower jawbone — including the ramus (the vertical part of the jaw that connects to the skull). This loss can affect one side (unilaterally) or both sides (bilaterally).
Because the mandible plays a central role in chewing, speaking, and the movement of the jaw joint, its loss can have significant effects on daily function.
How the VA Rates This Condition
The VA assigns a disability rating based on three key factors:
- How much of the mandible is lost — one-half or more, or less than one-half.
- Whether the loss involves the temporomandibular articulation — the jaw joint where the mandible connects to the skull.
- Whether the loss is replaceable by a prosthesis — that is, whether a prosthetic device can restore the affected structure.
Available Rating Levels
Loss of one-half or more of the mandible:
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 70% | Involving the temporomandibular articulation — not replaceable by prosthesis |
| 50% | Involving the temporomandibular articulation — replaceable by prosthesis |
| 40% | Not involving the temporomandibular articulation — not replaceable by prosthesis |
| 30% | Not involving the temporomandibular articulation — replaceable by prosthesis |
Loss of less than one-half of the mandible:
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 70% | Involving the temporomandibular articulation — not replaceable by prosthesis |
| 50% | Involving the temporomandibular articulation — replaceable by prosthesis |
| 20% | Not involving the temporomandibular articulation — not replaceable by prosthesis |
| 10% | Not involving the temporomandibular articulation — replaceable by prosthesis |
What the VA Looks For
- The extent of bone loss — determining whether one-half or more, or less than one-half, of the mandible has been lost.
- Involvement of the jaw joint — whether the temporomandibular articulation is affected.
- Whether a prosthesis can replace the lost structure.Diagnostic imaging. For VA compensation purposes, diagnostic imaging studies include, but are not limited to, conventional radiography (X-ray), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), radionuclide bone scanning, or ultrasonography.
Related impairments may be rated separately. The VA separately evaluates loss of vocal articulation, loss of smell, loss of taste, neurological impairment, respiratory dysfunction, and other impairments under the appropriate diagnostic code, and combines them under § 4.25 for each separately rated condition.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.150, diagnostic code 9902. The official version is the one that governs your rating.
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