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Case Record Requirements

The examinee will provide case presentations that contain specific reports and patient records that are required by the Board. The patient records should be of sufficient quality and accuracy that an appropriate diagnosis and observation of treatment results may be adequately viewed by the examiner. The case will be evaluated for quality, accuracy and completeness of the patient records and reports in meeting ABO specifications.

Presentation of hard copy required case records:

Notebook Presentation 

  • Patient records may be produced from analog or digital equipment
  • Patient records are assembled in hard copy into a notebook according to assembly instructions on this website.

Specific areas of criteria, records and reports to be verified by the ABO Examiner:

  1. Meets case submission criteria for the type of ICE Clinical Examination.
    • Especially note the appropriate type of molar Class II relationship for the particular examination - Class II Molar Relationships - Three Illustrations
    • Each case may satisfy only one case submission criteria.
    • Additionally, second molars must be erupted and should be aligned in each case submitted.
  2. Meets case record requirements.
    • A complete set of records must be provided at each level of evaluation which includes study models, photographic montage, radiographs, cephalometric tracing and superimpositions. The name of doctor, practice or school, if present, must be covered from view.
    • Pretreatment records for adolescents should be within 6 months of treatment initiation and 12 months of treatment initiation for adults. All Posttreatment records must be obtained within 12 months of appliance removal. Final digital models are accepted along with a standard ABO intraoral photo montage taken within one week of each other.  Click here for additional period record requirements.
      • Single-Phase Case Record Requirements:
        • A complete set of records must be provided for each level of evaluation, pretreatment and posttreatment.
      • Two-Phase Case Record Requirements
        • Complete set of records taken prior to the beginning of the first phase of treatment (or prior to extractions if a serial extraction case). Note: the Discrepancy Index must be scored using these records.
        • Complete set of records, as interim records, taken prior to the second phase of treatment.
        • Complete set of records after second phase appliance removal.
      • Serial Extraction Case Record Requirements
        • May be used as either a single-phase or two-phase case. However, to be considered as an "Extraction Case" that fulfills case submission criteria, it must be treated as a two-phase case and must have a complete set of records prior to extractions.
      • Surgical Case Record Requirements
        • Complete set of records taken prior to the beginning of treatment.
        • Complete set of records, as interim records, taken PRIOR to surgery.
          • When surgery occurs within the first 3 months of initial bracket placement, the ABO photographic montage is required (radiographs and models are not required). See Photograph Requirements.
        • Complete set of posttreatment records.
  3. Two printed Case Report Work Files (CRWF), containing the Written Case Report (WCR), Discrepancy Index (DI), Cast-Radiograph Evaluation (C-R Eval) and Case Management Form (CMF), to be used in the assessment of each case submitted.

Conditions that are cause for incomplete or rejection of a case:

  • Case does not meet exam submission criteria.
  • Posttreatment record(s) are obtained beyond 12 months of appliance removal.
  • A complete set of Interim or Pre-Surgical records are not present for two-phase treatment or for surgical cases. Interim or pre-surgical records to be completed the same as pretreatment and posttreatment records. 
  • Cast Radiograph Evaluation Score is higher than acceptable.
  • Case Management Form Score is higher than acceptable.

Specific areas of observation by the ABO Examiner are the following:

  • Treatment complementing facial growth
  • Facial harmony -- balance and harmony of the soft tissue and proper proportion of facial structures
  • Maximum esthetics of the teeth and face
  • Dental health - maximum health of the teeth, the supporting tissues and the adjacent structures
  • Optimal function, free of interference's and trauma
  • Excellent occlusion
  • Favorable intercuspation of the teeth
  • Alignment of permanent second molars
  • Favorable overjet and overbite relationship
  • Favorable correction of rotations of all teeth
  • Favorable axial inclination of all teeth
  • Complete space closure
  • Coordinated ideal archform with all the teeth aligned within the supporting structures
  • Good vertical control
  • Good stability