Editorial policy | orthodontic.ai

Evidence labels

Every case names the strongest kind of source it relied on. The level describes the source, not the product. A level 2 case can still conclude that a tool works; it means the support for that is a regulatory record rather than a published study.

1 Vendor claim Press release, website or brochure from the company selling the tool. Tells you what to ask, not what is true.
2 Regulatory record FDA 510(k) or De Novo record and summary. Describes the sponsor's own testing as summarized for FDA. Clearance is not a comparison or an outcome study.
3 Peer-reviewed study Published cohort, accuracy study or systematic review of non-randomized studies. Has a method section; bias and setting limits still apply.
4 Randomized trial Patients or clinicians randomly assigned to use the tool or not, with an independent reference standard. We have not yet found one for these topics.

Level 1, vendor claim. The company's own site, press release or marketing. Reported, never treated as checked.
Level 2, regulatory record. A public FDA 510(k), De Novo or similar record, including the performance testing it summarizes.
Level 3, peer-reviewed study. A study or systematic review in an indexed journal, read at least at abstract level, with the read depth stated.
Level 4, randomized trial. A randomized controlled trial of the tool against a comparison in patients. None found yet for any case here.

Read status

Each source is marked fetched (we read the page or document), partial (for example a scanned file or abstract only) or not read. A not-read source is never used to support a claim.

Directory listings

A named listing appears only when a public record for it was read. It stays marked unverified until an editor has confirmed the product is still sold under that name, the record matches the product, and the maker has had a chance to correct factual errors. Listings are ordered alphabetically, with placeholders last, and order is never sold.

Corrections

Factual errors are corrected on the page with a dated note saying what changed. Changes to an evidence level are always noted. Corrections are listed at the top of the next newsletter issue. Send corrections through the contact page.

Disclosure

Paid units carry a visible Sponsored or Advertisement label. Sponsors never buy a ranking, listing status, evidence level or case outcome, and do not review editorial before it runs. No paid sponsor is signed yet. House ads for related sites are labeled Advertisement. orthodontic.ai is published by the orthodontic.ai editorial team.

Nothing on this site is medical advice. Clinical decisions belong to a licensed clinician with the patient in front of them.