Braces and Malocclusion at the Military Board: Article 56
Reviewed by the LabReadAI medical team
The short answer: braces do not determine a category — they are treatment, not disease. What matters is what they treat: malocclusion, and article 56 of the Schedule of Diseases sets precise millimetres and percentages for it. Grade I malocclusion, meanwhile, is excluded by the regulation in plain words.
Which fitness category malocclusion yields
Article 56 is titled "Maxillofacial anomalies, defects, deformities, consequences of injuries, other diseases and changes of the teeth and their supporting apparatus, diseases of the jaws".
| What the records show | Clause | Column I (conscription) |
|---|---|---|
| Significant impairment of respiratory, olfactory, chewing, swallowing and speech function | «a» | D — unfit |
| Moderate impairment of the same functions | «b» | V — limited fitness |
| Minor impairment or none | «v» | B-3 — fit with restrictions |
Millimetres and percentages
The regulation translates "functional impairment" into measurable quantities:
With grade II malocclusion with a bite gap of 5 to 10 mm and chewing efficiency below 60 percent by N. I. Agapov, or with grade II and III malocclusion with a bite gap of more than 10 mm (regardless of chewing efficiency), the fitness conclusion is issued under clause «b»…
Two routes to category V follow:
- A bite gap of 5–10 mm plus chewing efficiency below 60 % by Agapov's method — both conditions together.
- A gap of more than 10 mm — here chewing efficiency no longer matters; the gap alone suffices.
Grade I is excluded outright
The presence of grade I malocclusion (displacement of the dental arches up to 5 mm inclusive) is not grounds for applying this article and does not prevent military service…
Five millimetres inclusive is the boundary below which the article does not operate at all. The orthodontist's report must therefore state a number in millimetres, not merely the words "bite disorder".
What happens with braces
Orthodontic treatment is a process, and the regulation provides a temporary decision for it: citizens at initial registration, at conscription, and on entry to contract service or military education may be found temporarily unfit for the treatment period. That is not category V and not an exemption — it is a deferral while treatment continues.
The practical meaning: fitted braces by themselves give neither a category nor guarantees. What matters is the underlying malocclusion in millimetres and the outcome of treatment.
Missing teeth: article 54
The question "how many missing teeth prevent conscription" belongs to a different article — 54, "Disorders of tooth development and eruption", which covers missing teeth and multiple caries. It has its own thresholds by count, and chewing function is assessed first of all.
Gum and periodontal disease falls under article 55: its clause «v» covers, for example, mild periodontitis with a periodontal pocket depth of up to 3 mm. Both articles sit in the same digestive chapter as gastritis and peptic ulcer, though the rules differ. "Dental problems" therefore split across three articles, and precision in the diagnosis determines which applies.
What your records must contain
- An orthodontist's report stating the grade of malocclusion and the gap in millimetres.
- Chewing efficiency as a percentage by Agapov's method — needed for a 5–10 mm gap.
- A panoramic or cephalometric radiograph with a report.
- For missing teeth — the exact number and an assessment of chewing function.
- Details of any orthodontic treatment under way and its timeline.
What is usually missing
- The report says "bite disorder" without millimetres — yet the 5 mm threshold decides whether the article applies at all.
- Chewing efficiency was not measured, although without it clause «b» cannot be justified for a 5–10 mm gap.
- Only the grade is given without the gap — that is not enough.
- Different articles are mixed: bite, missing teeth and gum disease fall under 56, 54 and 55 respectively.
- Braces are being worn but there are no baseline data on the bite before treatment.
Questions for your doctor
- What is my bite gap in millimetres?
- Which grade of malocclusion is stated in the report?
- Was chewing efficiency measured, and what is it as a percentage?
- How many teeth are missing and how does that affect chewing function?
- What is the expected timeline of orthodontic treatment?
Teeth at departmental boards
The above concerns assessment under Government Decree No. 565. The Interior Ministry, National Guard, Federal Security Service and Emergencies Ministry use their own schedules of diseases with their own requirements. A review under articles 54, 55 and 56 shows how complete your records are but is not their regulation.
The short version
Braces are not a diagnosis but treatment, and temporary unfitness is possible while treatment lasts. The category is set by the underlying malocclusion: up to 5 mm inclusive the article does not apply; 5–10 mm also requires chewing efficiency below 60 %; beyond 10 mm the gap alone suffices. What matters in the records is therefore millimetres and percentages, not verbal descriptions. Only the military medical board determines the fitness category. To see what all your records say together in advance, they can be reviewed against the Schedule of Diseases.
For informational purposes only
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a healthcare professional for medical guidance.