Starter but maybe torque convertor problems.

[CptanPanic2]

Hello All,
Well my VW vanagon has an automatic transmission. The problem is it has been eating starter gears, I have included the current state of gear. The PO didn't want to mess with it, so he just got a starter with a lifetime warrenty and just kept bringing it back when it stoped starting, well I want to fix it. I looked at the torque convertor teeth and they are a little chewed up, does this mean I need to replace the torque convertor, or could something else be wrong. Also can I just replace the gear on the starter instead of the entire starter?

Thanks,
Brian