Why Dental Points Cause Sudden Medical Rejection
In Armed Forces recruitment rallies, hundreds of physically fit candidates who run 1.6 KM in 5:30 minutes get declared Temporary Unfit (TR) or Permanent Unfit (PR) during the dental examination. The reason? Failing to secure the mandatory 14 Dental Points out of a total 22 points.
Many candidates assume having white teeth is enough. But the Armed Forces Dental Officer strictly evaluates occlusion (bite fit), presence of opposing functional teeth, deep cavities, and missing molars.
The 22 Dental Points System Explained
Every healthy, perfectly aligned human tooth set can score up to 22 points. Points are awarded only when an upper tooth properly bites (occludes) against its corresponding lower tooth.
| Teeth Type | Points Per Pair | Total Points Available |
|---|---|---|
| 1st & 2nd Molars (Dhadh): Critical for chewing mastication | 2 points each pair | 8 points (4 pairs) |
| 3rd Molars (Wisdom Teeth): Only counted if fully erupted & occluding | 1 point each pair | 2 points (2 pairs) |
| Premolars (Chhote Daant): Pre-molar grinding pairs | 1 point each pair | 4 points (4 pairs) |
| Canines (Kukkur Daant): Tearing corner teeth | 1 point each pair | 2 points (2 pairs) |
| Incisors (Samne ke Daant): Front cutting teeth | 1 point per pair/functional overlap | 4 points |
| Total Max Score / Minimum Required | - | 22 Points Max (Min 14 to PASS) |
The 3 Golden Rules to Avoid Dental Disqualification
- 1. Missing Opposing Tooth = Zero Points: If your upper molar is present but the lower molar was extracted, you score 0 points for that pair because chewing function is lost.
- 2. Cavities (Kida lagna): Deep decay with pulp infection gets direct rejection. However, well-filled permanent composite or amalgam fillings are 100% accepted as sound teeth.
- 3. Calculus & Tartar (Pilaapan): Uncleaned tartar causes severe gingivitis (bleeding gums). The dental officer will mark you TR for oral sepsis. Always get professional dental scaling (cleaning) 7 to 10 days before reporting.
Are Dental Caps / Braces Allowed? Braces are strictly NOT permitted on rally day-you will be declared TR until debonded. Ceramic or metal crowns (caps) are acceptable provided the root canal is fully healed with no apical infection.