Partial Loss of Tongue

DC 9914Dental/Oral38 CFR 4.150, DC 9914

Loss of part or all of the tongue, affecting the ability to speak, chew, and swallow. The VA rates based on how much of the tongue is missing and the resulting functional impairment.

Rating Levels

You have complete or near-complete loss of the tongue, preventing intelligible speech. You have extreme difficulty swallowing and require specialized nutrition support.

What the VA looks for

Complete or near-complete tongue loss documented
Unintelligible speech confirmed on evaluation
Extreme swallowing difficulty requiring specialized nutrition
May require feeding tube or liquid diet
Total loss of taste function documented

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not documenting the percentage of tongue tissue lost.
⚠Not getting a speech-language pathology evaluation.
⚠Not documenting swallowing difficulties (dysphagia evaluation).
⚠Not claiming secondary conditions like malnutrition due to difficulty eating.

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Dental and Oral Conditions

View evidence checklist →See secondary conditions →

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…