Book Reviewed : Endodontics. Problem -Solving in Clinical Practice

There is now a myriad of textbooks on endodontics that have been designed for the general dental practitioner. This is another in a long line but nevertheless provides a very readable and informative guide to modern endodontic practice. All the authors are well respected in their professional fields and the senior author has an enviable reputation for producing textbooks of high quality. Improving clinical endodontic care is addressed in a logical sequence with an emphasis placed on proper diagnosis and treatment planning. The two most alluring features of this book are the quality of the illustrative material and the 'easy to read' style of the text. The latter is not burdened by philosophical arguments or academic minutia but there is plenty of information that will help the practitioner to perform better. The text for each chapter is in short paragraphs that are assimilated easily. The quality of the illustrations is superb - the photographs are of a very high standard and the book is profusely illustrated with a number of figures on every page.

The book is in 12 chapters and begins with a thorough discourse on history, diagnosis and treatment planning and the second chapter is concerned with root canal anatomy. These provide a sound basis for the succeeding chapters on treatment. The third chapter, on preparation prior to endodontics, is important and a clinical imperative that is often overlooked in other textbooks. The chapter on isolation that follows demonstrates clearly the purpose of this book. After reading this chapter all the knowledge has been given to allow the busy practitioner to use rubber dam routinely. Many hints and tips are given to facilitate easy isolation of the operating field. Chapter 5 describes root canal preparation. All the principles of access and preparation are described. With so many techniques and instruments available it would be difficult to cover all in this book but the authors give popular examples of hand and rotary preparation techniques. The chapters on irrigation and medication, and obturation are lucid and whilst not exhaustive are very helpful. Further chapters on root canal retreatment, restoration of the root filled tooth, complex endodontic problems, endodontic management of permanent teeth in children and endodontic emergencies complete the knowledge base.

Overall, this book is a first class production, the reading of which will inevitably lead to improved care for patients.

from: british dental journal