Statement of Principles concerning dental malocclusion No. 372 of 1995 (Cth)

Instrument No.372 of 1995

Statement of Principles

concerning

DENTAL MALOCCLUSION

ICD CODES: 524.0 - 524.5, 524.7 - 524.9

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
subsection 196B(2)

1.         Being of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that dental malocclusion and death from dental malocclusion can be related to operational service rendered by veterans, peacekeeping service rendered by members of Peacekeeping Forces and hazardous service rendered by members of the Forces, the Repatriation Medical Authority determines, under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act1986 (the Act), that the factors that must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting dental malocclusion or death from dental malocclusion with the circumstances of that service, are:

(a)       suffering craniofacial injuries before the clinical onset of dental malocclusion; or

(b)       suffering a craniofacial disease process before the clinical onset of dental malocclusion.

(c)       suffering craniofacial injuries before the clinical worsening of dental malocclusion; or

(d)       suffering a craniofacial disease process before the clinical worsening of dental malocclusion.

2.         Subject to clause 3 (below) at least one of the factors set out in paragraphs 1(a) to 1(d) must be related to any service rendered by a person.

3.         The factors set out in paragraphs 1(c) to 1(d) apply only where:

(a)       the person's dental malocclusion was suffered before a period, or part of a period, of service to which the factor is related; and

(b)       the relationship suggested between the dental malocclusion and the particular service of a person is a relationship set out in paragraph 8(1)(e), 9(1)(e), 70(5)(d) or 70(5A)(d) of the Act.

4.         For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:

“craniofacial injuries” means an injury resulting in fracture of the maxilla, mandible or tooth loss;

“craniofacial disease” means any disease process causing distortion of the maxilla or mandible, ie infiltration by primary or secondary malignancy, Paget's disease of bone or tuberculosis;

“ICD code” means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in the Australian Version of The International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), effective date of 1 July 1995, copyrighted by the National Coding Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, and having ISBN 0 642 22235 5;

“dental malocclusion” means such malposition and contact of the maxillary and mandibular teeth as to interfere with their optimal function to such extent that adaptive processes have not been sufficient to prevent occlusal trauma, attracting an ICD code in the range 524.0 to 524.5 or 524.7 to 524.9.

Dated this  Twenty-third  day of November 1995

The Common Seal of the    )

Repatriation Medical Authority                   )

was affixed to this instrument   )

in the presence of:   )

KEN DONALD

CHAIRMAN