Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) DC 9905
VA rates it under diagnostic code 9905 in 38 CFR 4.150. Body system: Other.
Also searched as: TMJ, TMD, jaw pain.
How VA rates it
The schedule allows 5 rating levels for this code: 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. VA picks the level whose criteria best match your symptoms and records.
Source: 38 CFR 4.150 on eCFR. Read the full criteria there before you file.
Rating levels and criteria
| Rating | What the schedule says |
|---|---|
| 50% | Interincisal range: 0 to 10 millimeters (mm) of maximum unassisted vertical opening.With dietary restrictions to all mechanically altered foods |
| 40% | Interincisal range: 0 to 10 millimeters (mm) of maximum unassisted vertical opening.Without dietary restrictions to mechanically altered foods |
| 40% | Interincisal range: 11 to 20 mm of maximum unassisted vertical opening.With dietary restrictions to all mechanically altered foods |
| 30% | Interincisal range: 11 to 20 mm of maximum unassisted vertical opening.Without dietary restrictions to mechanically altered foods |
| 40% | Interincisal range: 21 to 29 mm of maximum unassisted vertical opening.With dietary restrictions to full liquid and pureed foods |
| 30% | Interincisal range: 21 to 29 mm of maximum unassisted vertical opening.With dietary restrictions to soft and semi-solid foods |
| 20% | Interincisal range: 21 to 29 mm of maximum unassisted vertical opening.Without dietary restrictions to mechanically altered foods |
| 30% | Interincisal range: 30 to 34 mm of maximum unassisted vertical opening.With dietary restrictions to full liquid and pureed foods |
| 20% | Interincisal range: 30 to 34 mm of maximum unassisted vertical opening.With dietary restrictions to soft and semi-solid foods |
| 10% | Interincisal range: 30 to 34 mm of maximum unassisted vertical opening.Without dietary restrictions to mechanically altered foods |
| 10% | Lateral excursion range of motion:0 to 4 mm |
Criteria text from 38 CFR 4.150, eCFR as of November 10, 2026. The eCFR is the official source if anything here differs.
Notes in the schedule (3)
Note (1): Ratings for limited interincisal movement shall not be combined with ratings for limited lateral excursion
Note (2): For VA compensation purposes, the normal maximum unassisted range of vertical jaw opening is from 35 to 50 mm
Note (3): For VA compensation purposes, mechanically altered foods are defined as altered by blending, chopping, grinding or mashing so that they are easy to chew and swallow. There are four levels of mechanically altered foods: full liquid, puree, soft, and semisolid foods. To warrant elevation based on mechanically altered foods, the use of texture-modified diets must be recorded or verified by a physician
Commonly claimed as secondary to
If one of these is already service connected, you may be able to claim this condition as secondary to it.
Generalized anxiety disorder DC 9400 Possible link
Stress-related jaw clenching and teeth grinding (bruxism) are linked with anxiety and can lead to a jaw joint disorder (TMD).
What to gather: A dentist's or doctor's diagnosis of TMD or bruxism damage and a medical opinion linking it to your anxiety.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Psychological factors and temporomandibular disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis (Head Face Med, 2025)
Major depressive disorder DC 9434 Possible link
Stress-related jaw clenching and teeth grinding (bruxism) are linked with depression and can lead to a jaw joint disorder (TMD).
What to gather: A dentist's or doctor's diagnosis of TMD or bruxism damage and a medical opinion linking it to your depression.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Psychological factors and temporomandibular disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis (Head Face Med, 2025)
PTSD DC 9411 Possible link
Stress-related jaw clenching and teeth grinding (bruxism) are linked with PTSD and can lead to a jaw joint disorder (TMD).
What to gather: A dentist's or doctor's diagnosis of TMD or bruxism damage and a medical opinion linking it to your PTSD.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Post-traumatic stress and temporomandibular disorders in war veterans: systematic review with meta-analysis (J Oral Rehabil, 2023)
Related medications
Medications that can cause or worsen it
If you take one of these for a service-connected condition, this condition may be claimable as secondary to that condition. You need a diagnosis, your prescription records, and a medical opinion.
SNRI antidepressants (for example venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine, levomilnacipran) Possible link
Case reports link serotonin antidepressants, including venlafaxine, to teeth grinding. VA rates the jaw pain as temporomandibular disorder.
Sources: FDA label: Venlafaxine (DailyMed); SSRI-associated bruxism: a systematic review (PubMed)
SSRI antidepressants (for example citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine) Possible link
Case reports link SSRIs to teeth grinding. VA rates the jaw pain it causes as temporomandibular disorder.
Sources: FDA label: Sertraline (DailyMed); SSRI-associated bruxism: a systematic review (PubMed)
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Rating schedule data as of November 10, 2026. Secondary and presumptive links checked November 13, 2026.
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