BCO case studies
BCO · Put your knowledge to work in context.
Board certification in orthodontics is a voluntary professional credential that signals a practitioner has met a peer-reviewed standard of clinical competence beyond state licensure. The American Board of Orthodontics administers the process, and this exam is intended for orthodontists who have completed accredited specialty training and want to demonstrate mastery to patients, referring dentists, and hospital or academic employers. The BCO case studies are 5 cases and about 3,483 words.
1Early Mixed Dentition With a Palatally Displaced Maxillary Canine and Severe Crowding
A boy aged 8 years 4 months attends for a routine review. He has a Class II division 1 malocclusion in the mixed dentition, an overjet of 9 mm, an overbite of 5 mm (complete), and a lower lip that rests behind the upper incisors.
741 words, about 4 min2Anterior Open Bite and Condylar Resorption in a Young Woman
A woman aged 24 years presents with a progressive anterior open bite of 3 mm, a 2 mm overjet, and a retruded mandible. She reports that her bite has changed over the past 18 months and that her chin has become 'weaker'.
650 words, about 3 min3Miniscrew Anchorage for Maximum Retraction in a Periodontally Compromised Adult
A man aged 46 years requests treatment for a 7 mm overjet and bimaxillary protrusion. He has a Class I molar relationship, a 4 mm upper and 4 mm lower arch length discrepancy, and generalised horizontal bone loss of 30–40% on radiographs with 3–4 mm probing depths and no bleeding on probing.
695 words, about 3 min4Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate: Timing of Alveolar Bone Graft and Maxillary Growth
A boy aged 8 years 6 months with a repaired left unilateral cleft lip and palate attends for orthodontic assessment. He has a mixed dentition with a Class III tendency, an anterior crossbite of the upper left central incisor, and a 4 mm alveolar defect on the left.
725 words, about 4 min5Retention After Nonextraction Treatment in a Patient With a Tongue Thrust and Relapse Risk
A woman aged 31 years has completed 22 months of nonextraction treatment for moderate crowding. The upper and lower arches are aligned, overjet is 2 mm, and overbite is 2 mm.
672 words, about 3 min