Tracings
CEPHALOMETRIC TRACINGS
| Pretreatment tracings must be in BLACK. |
| Interim tracings must be in BLUE. |
| Posttreatment tracings must be in RED. |
Cephalograms must be accurately traced by the examinee using a small diameter (0.5 mm) pencil or pen for manual tracing, or using the computer's drawing tool to trace the anatomical outline of a digital radiograph. Computer generated tracings are acceptable if prepared as instructed in the Digital Record Requirements. All tracings must be submitted on transparent media.
Templates may be used to trace the tooth outlines. Anatomical structures should be identified accurately in preparation for the marking of landmarks and the drawing of reference lines. All measurements must be recorded on the Case Management Form and on the tracing (see examples). The soft tissue outline of the facial profile is required for each tracing.
Note: The Frankfort Horizontal (FH) line is drawn on all tracings. Craniofacial tracings are superimposed on the anterior cranial base.
EXAMPLE 1
CEPHALOMETRIC TRACING REFERENCE 
EXAMPLE 2
CEPHALOMETRIC TRACING
Also see Construction
of the Mandibular Plane
COMPOSITE TRACINGS
A minimum of three (3) composite tracings are required comparing cephalometric tracings:
| 1. Craniofacial |
| 2. Maxillary |
| 3. Mandibular |
The three composites are manually traced by the examinee from the individual tracings of the cephalograms. A small diameter (0.5 mm) pencil or pen should be used. The three composites may be on three separate sheets of tracing acetate or they may all be arranged on one sheet. When there is an Interim set of records, separate composites of A and B tracings, A and A1 tracings and A1 and B tracings are required. Digital superimpositions are acceptable if prepared as instructed in the Digital Record Requirements. All tracings must be submitted on transparent media.
EXAMPLE OF COMPOSITE TRACINGS
The following procedure for composite tracings is required:1. 2. 3.
1. Craniofacial Composite - register on Sella with the best fit on the anterior cranial base bony structures (Planum Sphenoidum, Cribiform Plate, Greater Wings of the Sphenoid) and Occiput to assess overall growth and treatment changes.
2. Maxillary Composite - register on the vertical legs of the key ridges (anterior and posterior contours of the zygomatic arches); align the key ridges both horizontally and vertically and the best fit of the internal structures of the maxillary bony complex.
3. Mandibular Composite - register on the internal cortical outline of the symphysis with the best fit on the mandibular canal to assess mandibular tooth movement and incremental growth of the mandible.
Examinees must use the same colors for the composite tracings that are used for the cephalometric tracings. Pretreatment tracings must be in BLACK.
Interim tracings must be in BLUE.
Posttreatment tracings must be in RED. All tracings must be submitted on transparent media.
See Policy Statement Regarding Lateral Cephalometric Radiographs and Superimposition of Tracings.
1. Baumrind S, Miller D, Malthen R. The reliability of head film measurements 3. Tracing superimposition. AM J Orthod 1976; 70:617-644.
2. Doppel D, Damon W, Joondeph D, Little R. An investigation of maxillary superimposition techniques using metallic implants. Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop 1994; 105:161-168.
3. Bjork A. Variations in the growth of the human mandible: longitudinal radiographic study by the implant method. J Dent Res 1963: 42:400-411.