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A colour atlas of conservative dentistry
Book Reviews
173
In conclusion, this book will prove to be a useful asset to all dental libraries, as a well-referenced evaluation of current periodontics. However, it is not well suited to the requirements of undergraduate students on account of the inadequate attention given to the more basic details of periodontal therapy. J. B. Kieser
THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE. By J. F. Pritchard. 260 X 185 mm. Pp. 657 + xviii. Illustrated. 1979. Eastbourne, Saunders. g25.00. There can be few involved in clinical dentistry, even those only remotely interested in periodontology, who will not be familiar with John F. Pritchard’s outstanding reputation and the classic documentation thereof in Advanced Periodontal Disease, the second edition of which was published in 1972. One might at first glance assume that this book represents a slightly revamped, and rather belated-by current American standards-third edition of this work. In fact, it is a new, much more broadly based hybrid, in which Pritchard has contributed unfortunately only six of the thirtyone chapters and is joint author of another four. A number of the other twenty-five contrrbutors have well-established clinical and research reputations, but the majority would appear to be rather less well known being, with a few exceptions, exclusively involved in specialist private practices. It would also seem that these contrrbutors have had rather limited experience in personal publications, for in only a few instances are their works featured in the reference lists to their chosen chapters. This book in many respects simply constitutes yet another major American effort in the field. Yet, whilst being fairly comprehensive and nicely illustrated and printed in accordance with the best traditions of the W. B. Saunders Company, it lacks many of the basic attributes of its more established rivals to qualify as a general periodontal text. It must, however, be conceded that the author’s stated objective is ‘to aid the clinician in private practice with the diagnosis and treatment of problems affecting the periodontum’. This is achieved to some extent by the very impressive gallery of the convincing operative skills of the contributors, but this presentation, together with the prominence given to The Art of Referring Patients, as the title of Chapter 2 might suggest that the aims of the book are perhaps not altogether altruistic. There is, in common with other multi-authored texts, some repetition coupled with inconsistencies in the overall approach to therapy. For example, Chapter 6 commences with the statement that the ‘scientific evidence of the benefit of temporary splinting has yet to be found’, and is followed by quite a comprehensive account of the various types of splints and then concludes with the comment that ‘there are many capable periodontists who do not use splints at all’. There are numerous unsubstantiated clinical impressions presented. This is perhaps not entirely inconsistent with the singularly unhelpful references to clinical experience and sound clinical judgement being the essential prerequisites for successful therapy-especially when insufficient guidance is given to those aspiring to such achievements. The reference lists are generally up to date but their usefulness is limited by the failure, in most instances, to relate them to the contents of the chapter. Notwithstanding these comments, the publication will be of interest to all with a special interest in periodontics, and to postgraduate students, but is likely to appeal to comparatively few general dental practitioners in this country. J. B. Kieser
A COLOUR ATLAS OF CONSERVATIVE Illustrated. 1980. London, Wolfe. 214.00.
DENTISTRY. By J. Ralph Grundy. 260 X 190 mm. Pp. 152.
As the author explains in his preface, the Atlas is designed to be complementary to the many textbooks on the various subjects covered. However, in discussing treatment certain aspects are dealt with in great detail and others omitted. This is a confusing situation for the student who, in spite of the name, might regard the Atlas as a textbook and use it as such. Nevertheless, this Atlas is an excellent publication, beautifully produced, covering most of the subjects of conservative dentistry. The pictures are of the highest quality, so different from many in the average textbook where photographs are often meaningless spacefillers. Whilst on the subject of pictures, mention must be made of the outstanding series on pages 26 and 27 covering partial pulpectomy. This has never been illustrated better. The author was obviously impatient to get to the heart of the subject and has skimmed over that important part of treatment which is planning. A more detailed handling of this would have been of great value. On page 12 the clumsy floss threader is shown; surely superfloss has now superseded this. Chapter 3
174
Journal of Dentistry
Vol. g/No. 2
dealing with caries is an excellent reminder to students and dentists that the early lesion must be recognized as soon as possible. The Important point of carving the completed amalgam restoration to accommodate the opposing cusp and not to the original anatomy of the tooth is well made in Fig. II 7, but not all would agree with the statement that the opposing cusp should be reduced to make room for the restoration. Chapter 10 deals with aids to retention and again is well illustrated. However, historically the Dentatus screw was the first to be used and should have been placed earlier in the chapter. A strange omission is the name of Markley whose ‘wire technique’ in 1956 was the first of the more modern techniques used to aid retention of restorations. Under the heading ExtraCoronal Restorations the author avoids the subject of large, sometimes subgingival existing restorations. Should they or should they not be covered by the extra-coronal restoration? The simultaneous preparation of the proximal surfaces of two adjacent teeth as illustrated in Fig. 233 is, in my opinion, wishful thinking! Post crowns are well covered and the various systems are illustrated and described, such as the Mooser, Kurer and Charlton systems and the traditional method of constructing a cast post and core is only mentioned briefly, which is a pity. In Chapter 14, Fig. 386 alone shows that the author is a clinician. The pedantic attention to the finer details in this and other illustrations shows that he is an outstanding clinician, Finally, a comment about the appendices. In Appendix 1, under the heading Medical History, I would have added the word ‘relevant’ because so often one reads absolutely irrelevant personal details which should be confidential. I also wonder how relevant the family history may possibly be. Appendix 6 shows the bridge classification. It uses a whole page to illustrate four simple designs. An explanation as to why and when these designs are used would have been helpful if the whole appendix is to be used at all. On the whole this is an excellent publication and the author should be congratulated on the production of such descriptive pictures. My criticism covers only minor points, some of which might be taken care of in the second edition which, I am sure, public demand will make necessary soon. G. F. Kantorowicz THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF DENTISTRY. By Peter Davis. Pp. 189. 135 x 215 mm. London, Croom Helm. E10.95. A list of acronyms at the beginning of a book is seldom a harbinger of easy reading and, sadly, this book is not among the exceptions. This is a pity for the book covers much interesting, little explored territory and poses many questions and challenges for contemporary dentistry which need to be considered and debated. Unfortunately, the usual opaque jargon of sociologists is liberally employed compelling repeated re-reading of sentences and passages and even then leaving one uncertain as to what is meant. This obscurity is quite unnecessary as in other parts of the text the author’s style is impressively clear and simple. The book traces the early origins and emergence of dentistry to the presentday profession with its inherent attitudes and prejudices. This is followed by an account of the epidemiology and public health problems of today’s chronic diseases of essentially social aetiology. Finally, the difficulties of trying to conquer dental diseases with the present, in many ways unsatisfactory, dental profession as the principal weapon are discussed. All this is accomplished with considerable skill but there are a few irritations and nonsenses. The silly statement that ‘toothbrushing does not reduce caries’ is repeated several times without any consideration of its inherent senselessness. I am sure that Dr Axelsson and his colleagues will be astonished to learn that their 1976 paper showed that normal plaque control procedures actually increased caries activity if not accompanied by topical fluoride applications. It is to be hoped that the other, less familiar, papers referred to in the book have not been interpreted with similar peculiarity. This book deserves to be widely read by dentists, but to achieve this it should have been published in paperback form at a much lower price. As it is, in hardback, with only three tables to relieve the tedium of the printed page and, oddly, a bibliography that lacks page numbers it is an expensive little essay. In summary, an opportunity missed. W. Sims
173
In conclusion, this book will prove to be a useful asset to all dental libraries, as a well-referenced evaluation of current periodontics. However, it is not well suited to the requirements of undergraduate students on account of the inadequate attention given to the more basic details of periodontal therapy. J. B. Kieser
THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE. By J. F. Pritchard. 260 X 185 mm. Pp. 657 + xviii. Illustrated. 1979. Eastbourne, Saunders. g25.00. There can be few involved in clinical dentistry, even those only remotely interested in periodontology, who will not be familiar with John F. Pritchard’s outstanding reputation and the classic documentation thereof in Advanced Periodontal Disease, the second edition of which was published in 1972. One might at first glance assume that this book represents a slightly revamped, and rather belated-by current American standards-third edition of this work. In fact, it is a new, much more broadly based hybrid, in which Pritchard has contributed unfortunately only six of the thirtyone chapters and is joint author of another four. A number of the other twenty-five contrrbutors have well-established clinical and research reputations, but the majority would appear to be rather less well known being, with a few exceptions, exclusively involved in specialist private practices. It would also seem that these contrrbutors have had rather limited experience in personal publications, for in only a few instances are their works featured in the reference lists to their chosen chapters. This book in many respects simply constitutes yet another major American effort in the field. Yet, whilst being fairly comprehensive and nicely illustrated and printed in accordance with the best traditions of the W. B. Saunders Company, it lacks many of the basic attributes of its more established rivals to qualify as a general periodontal text. It must, however, be conceded that the author’s stated objective is ‘to aid the clinician in private practice with the diagnosis and treatment of problems affecting the periodontum’. This is achieved to some extent by the very impressive gallery of the convincing operative skills of the contributors, but this presentation, together with the prominence given to The Art of Referring Patients, as the title of Chapter 2 might suggest that the aims of the book are perhaps not altogether altruistic. There is, in common with other multi-authored texts, some repetition coupled with inconsistencies in the overall approach to therapy. For example, Chapter 6 commences with the statement that the ‘scientific evidence of the benefit of temporary splinting has yet to be found’, and is followed by quite a comprehensive account of the various types of splints and then concludes with the comment that ‘there are many capable periodontists who do not use splints at all’. There are numerous unsubstantiated clinical impressions presented. This is perhaps not entirely inconsistent with the singularly unhelpful references to clinical experience and sound clinical judgement being the essential prerequisites for successful therapy-especially when insufficient guidance is given to those aspiring to such achievements. The reference lists are generally up to date but their usefulness is limited by the failure, in most instances, to relate them to the contents of the chapter. Notwithstanding these comments, the publication will be of interest to all with a special interest in periodontics, and to postgraduate students, but is likely to appeal to comparatively few general dental practitioners in this country. J. B. Kieser
A COLOUR ATLAS OF CONSERVATIVE Illustrated. 1980. London, Wolfe. 214.00.
DENTISTRY. By J. Ralph Grundy. 260 X 190 mm. Pp. 152.
As the author explains in his preface, the Atlas is designed to be complementary to the many textbooks on the various subjects covered. However, in discussing treatment certain aspects are dealt with in great detail and others omitted. This is a confusing situation for the student who, in spite of the name, might regard the Atlas as a textbook and use it as such. Nevertheless, this Atlas is an excellent publication, beautifully produced, covering most of the subjects of conservative dentistry. The pictures are of the highest quality, so different from many in the average textbook where photographs are often meaningless spacefillers. Whilst on the subject of pictures, mention must be made of the outstanding series on pages 26 and 27 covering partial pulpectomy. This has never been illustrated better. The author was obviously impatient to get to the heart of the subject and has skimmed over that important part of treatment which is planning. A more detailed handling of this would have been of great value. On page 12 the clumsy floss threader is shown; surely superfloss has now superseded this. Chapter 3
174
Journal of Dentistry
Vol. g/No. 2
dealing with caries is an excellent reminder to students and dentists that the early lesion must be recognized as soon as possible. The Important point of carving the completed amalgam restoration to accommodate the opposing cusp and not to the original anatomy of the tooth is well made in Fig. II 7, but not all would agree with the statement that the opposing cusp should be reduced to make room for the restoration. Chapter 10 deals with aids to retention and again is well illustrated. However, historically the Dentatus screw was the first to be used and should have been placed earlier in the chapter. A strange omission is the name of Markley whose ‘wire technique’ in 1956 was the first of the more modern techniques used to aid retention of restorations. Under the heading ExtraCoronal Restorations the author avoids the subject of large, sometimes subgingival existing restorations. Should they or should they not be covered by the extra-coronal restoration? The simultaneous preparation of the proximal surfaces of two adjacent teeth as illustrated in Fig. 233 is, in my opinion, wishful thinking! Post crowns are well covered and the various systems are illustrated and described, such as the Mooser, Kurer and Charlton systems and the traditional method of constructing a cast post and core is only mentioned briefly, which is a pity. In Chapter 14, Fig. 386 alone shows that the author is a clinician. The pedantic attention to the finer details in this and other illustrations shows that he is an outstanding clinician, Finally, a comment about the appendices. In Appendix 1, under the heading Medical History, I would have added the word ‘relevant’ because so often one reads absolutely irrelevant personal details which should be confidential. I also wonder how relevant the family history may possibly be. Appendix 6 shows the bridge classification. It uses a whole page to illustrate four simple designs. An explanation as to why and when these designs are used would have been helpful if the whole appendix is to be used at all. On the whole this is an excellent publication and the author should be congratulated on the production of such descriptive pictures. My criticism covers only minor points, some of which might be taken care of in the second edition which, I am sure, public demand will make necessary soon. G. F. Kantorowicz THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF DENTISTRY. By Peter Davis. Pp. 189. 135 x 215 mm. London, Croom Helm. E10.95. A list of acronyms at the beginning of a book is seldom a harbinger of easy reading and, sadly, this book is not among the exceptions. This is a pity for the book covers much interesting, little explored territory and poses many questions and challenges for contemporary dentistry which need to be considered and debated. Unfortunately, the usual opaque jargon of sociologists is liberally employed compelling repeated re-reading of sentences and passages and even then leaving one uncertain as to what is meant. This obscurity is quite unnecessary as in other parts of the text the author’s style is impressively clear and simple. The book traces the early origins and emergence of dentistry to the presentday profession with its inherent attitudes and prejudices. This is followed by an account of the epidemiology and public health problems of today’s chronic diseases of essentially social aetiology. Finally, the difficulties of trying to conquer dental diseases with the present, in many ways unsatisfactory, dental profession as the principal weapon are discussed. All this is accomplished with considerable skill but there are a few irritations and nonsenses. The silly statement that ‘toothbrushing does not reduce caries’ is repeated several times without any consideration of its inherent senselessness. I am sure that Dr Axelsson and his colleagues will be astonished to learn that their 1976 paper showed that normal plaque control procedures actually increased caries activity if not accompanied by topical fluoride applications. It is to be hoped that the other, less familiar, papers referred to in the book have not been interpreted with similar peculiarity. This book deserves to be widely read by dentists, but to achieve this it should have been published in paperback form at a much lower price. As it is, in hardback, with only three tables to relieve the tedium of the printed page and, oddly, a bibliography that lacks page numbers it is an expensive little essay. In summary, an opportunity missed. W. Sims