{"id":"F2025L01630","name":"Statement of Principles concerning bruxism (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 8 of 2026)","slug":"statement-of-principles-concerning-bruxism-balance-of-probabilities-no-8-of-2026","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":443109,"registerId":"F2025L01630-fast-fetch-1775958030106","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Statement of Principles concerning bruxism (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 8 of 2026)","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![RMA Australian Government Coat of Arms](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nStatement of Principles\n\nconcerning\n\nBRUXISM  (Balance of Probabilities)\n\n(No. 8 of 2026)\n\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n \n\nDated 19 December 2025\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nProfessor Terence Campbell AM\n\nChairperson\n\nby and on behalf of\n\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority\n\n \n\n   \n\n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Repeal\n\n5 Application\n\n6 Definitions\n\n7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates\n\n8 Basis for determining the factors\n\n9 Factors that must exist\n\n10 Relationship to service\n\n11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles\n\nSchedule 1 - Dictionary\n\n1 Definitions\n\n \n\n \n\n\n\n\n1.                Name\n\n\nThis is the Statement of Principles concerning bruxism (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 8 of 2026).\n\n1.                Commencement\n\n\n              This instrument commences on 19 January 2026.\n\n1.                Authority\n\n\nThis instrument is made under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n1.                Repeal\n\n\nThe Statement of Principles concerning bruxism (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 92 of 2016) (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2016L01671) made under subsection 196B(3) of the VEA is repealed.\n\n1.                Application\n\n\nThis instrument applies to a claim to which section 120B of the VEA or section 339 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.\n\n1.                Definitions\n\n\nThe terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.\n\n1.                Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates\n  1.           This Statement of Principles is about bruxism and death from bruxism.\n\n\nMeaning of bruxism\n\n1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, bruxism means a disorder of jaw muscle activity characterised by repetitive, involuntary clenching or grinding of the teeth or by bracing or thrusting of the mandible, occurring during wakefulness or sleep.\n2.           While bruxism attracts ICD‑10‑AM code G47.63 or F45.8, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of bruxism is that given in subsection (2).\n3.           For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.\n\n\nDeath from bruxism\n\n1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, bruxism, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's bruxism.\n\n\nNote: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.                Basis for determining the factors\n\n\nOn the sound medical‑scientific evidence available, the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not that bruxism and death from bruxism can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA.\n\nNote: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.                Factors that must exist\n\n\nAt least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, bruxism or death from bruxism is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:\n\n1.           experiencing a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury within the 30 days before clinical onset or clinical worsening;\n2.           having a clinically significant neurological condition as specified at the time of the clinical onset or clinical worsening;\n\n\nNote: clinically significant neurological condition as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\n1.           having an anxiety disorder at the time of clinical onset or clinical worsening;\n2.           taking any of the following at the time of the clinical onset or clinical worsening;\n  1.           amphetamines or amphetamine derivatives, including methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy or MDMA);\n  2.           antipsychotics;\n  3.           dexamphetamine;\n  4.           methylphenidate;\n  5.           selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors;\n  6.            s erotonin and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) reuptake inhibitors.\n3.           having gastro-oesophageal reflux disease at the time of the clinical onset or clinical worsening;\n4.           inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for bruxism before clinical worsening.\n\n\n1.            Relationship to service\n  1.           The existence in a person of any factor referred to in section 9, must be related to the relevant service rendered by the person.\n  2.           The clinical worsening aspect of factors set out in subsection 9 apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, bruxism where the person's bruxism was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person's relevant service.\n2.            Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles\n\n\nIn this Statement of Principles:\n\n1.           if a factor referred to in section 9 applies in relation to a person; and\n2.           that factor refers to an injury or disease in respect of which a Statement of Principles has been determined under subsection 196B(3) of the VEA;\n\n\nthen the factors in that Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles as in force from time to time.\n\n \n\n \n\nSchedule 1 - Dictionary  \n\nNote:               See Section 6\n\n1               Definitions\n\nIn this instrument:\n\n                               bruxism—see subsection 7(2).\n\n                             clinically significant neurological condition as specified means one of the following conditions:\n\n(a)          craniocervical dystonia;\n\n(b)          Huntington's chorea; or\n\n(c)          Parkinson disease and Secondary Parkinsonism.\n\nNote: craniocervical dystonia is also defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\n                             craniocervical dystonia means cervical, facial, cranial or oromandibular dystonia, including spasmodic torticollis.\n\n                             MRCA means the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004.\n\n                             relevant service means:\n\n(a)          eligible war service (other than operational service) under the VEA;\n\n(b)          defence service (other than hazardous service and British nuclear test defence service) under the VEA; or\n\n(c)          peacetime service under the MRCA.\n\nNote: MRCA and VEA are also defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\n                             terminal event means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes the following:\n\n(a)           pneumonia;\n\n(b)           respiratory failure;\n\n(c)           cardiac arrest;\n\n(d)           circulatory failure; or\n\n(e)           cessation of brain function.\n\n                             VEA means the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a standard RMA Statement of Principles instrument that follows the established template for determining service connection of specific medical conditions. It replaces a 2016 version concerning the same condition (bruxism) and maintains the same structural approach: defining the condition, listing specific causal factors, and establishing the relationship to service requirements. No scope creep is evident."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple cross-references to other legislation (VEA, MRCA) and other Statements of Principles","Nested definitions requiring dictionary lookups (e.g., 'clinically significant neurological condition as specified' expands to three specific conditions, one of which is further defined)","Conditional logic distinguishing between 'clinical onset' and 'clinical worsening' with different rules applying to each","Technical medical terminology requiring ICD-10-AM code references and specific drug classifications","Dual statutory framework requiring understanding of both Veterans' Entitlements Act and Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act service types"],"plain_english_summary":"This rulebook tells the Repatriation Medical Authority how to decide if veterans or current/former defence members qualify for compensation for bruxism (jaw grinding/clenching). To succeed a claim, bruxism (or death from it) must be shown on the balance of probabilities to be connected to service and linked to one of several specified medical, injury or medication-related triggers (e.g., recent significant TBI, certain neurological or anxiety disorders, specific drugs, GORD, or inadequate treatment).\n\nIt matters because it determines access to financial and medical support for a painful, often disabling condition."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument explicitly repeals the 2016 Statement of Principles for bruxism (section 4) and replaces it. It retains the focus on bruxism and death from bruxism (section 7) but revises the conditions that establish a service connection — adding or specifying factors (traumatic brain injury within 30 days, named neurological disorders, anxiety disorder, listed medications, gastro‑oesophageal reflux disease, and lack of appropriate management) and updating definitions in Schedule 1 (sections 9, 7(1)–(3), Schedule 1). It therefore alters how claims under the VEA or MRCA (section 5) will be medically assessed."},"complexity_factors":["Specialised medical terminology and diagnostic references (definition of bruxism, ICD‑10‑AM references) — section 7(1)–(3)","Multiple, specific qualifying factors with temporal and clinical conditions (e.g. 30‑day window for moderate–severe TBI; requirement that factors be present at clinical onset or worsening) — section 9(1)(a) and section 10(2)","Cross‑references to other statutory instruments and Statements of Principles (application to VEA/MRCA claims; incorporation of other SOPs when a factor is an injury/disease covered elsewhere) — sections 5 and 11","Enumerated lists of medications and conditions that can trigger or be associated with bruxism (detailed drug classes and named neurological conditions) — section 9(2)(d) and Schedule 1","Interaction between clinical worsening and pre‑existing service conditions (material contribution/aggravation standard) creating evidentiary subtleties — section 10(2)","Repeal and replacement of an earlier Statement, requiring comparison of instruments for claim continuity and interpretation — section 4"],"plain_english_summary":"This Statement of Principles sets the medical rules for deciding whether bruxism (teeth‑grinding or jaw clenching) and death from bruxism can be linked to a veteran’s or member’s service for claims under the VEA or MRCA (section 5). It names the specific medical factors that must be present for a service connection and updates definitions and references used by decision‑makers, so it changes how claims are assessed medically."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-bruxism-balance-of-probabilities-no-8-of-2026","history":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-bruxism-balance-of-probabilities-no-8-of-2026/history","analysis":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-bruxism-balance-of-probabilities-no-8-of-2026/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-bruxism-balance-of-probabilities-no-8-of-2026/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-bruxism-balance-of-probabilities-no-8-of-2026/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/statement-of-principles-concerning-bruxism-balance-of-probabilities-no-8-of-2026/documents"}}