DEPARTMENT OF REVIEWS AND ABSTRACTS

Edited by Alex Jacobson, DMD, MS, MDS, PhD Birmingham, Ala.

All inquiries regarding information on reviews and abstracts should be directed to the respective authors. Articles or books for review in this department should be addressed to Dr. Alex Jacobson, Universio of Alabama School of Dentistry, University StationlBirmingham, Alabama 35294.

Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in Dentofacial Orthopedics Frans P. G. M. van der Linden and Herman Boersma London: Quintessence Publishing Co., 1987. 336 pages, soft cover

The soft-cover book is written primarily for dental students and practicing dentists, the premise being that dentists should be able to provide simple orthodontic treatment, yet be sufficiently knowledgeable to recog- nize those situations that require referral to a specialist. The book of 15 chapters begins by describing conditions that cause various orthodontic anomalies to occur in the developing dentition, particularly from the decid- uous to the permanent dentition. This is followed by a section that deals with the influence on the developing dentition of normal and abnormal functional activity of the lips, tongue, facial musculature, and breathing. Arch length, anteroposterior, vertical and transverse jaw discrepancies, and the traditional Angle malocclu- sion classifications are described.

The next four chapters describe the method and the diagnostic aids necessary for examining a patient and the method of evaluating the gathered material to di- agnose and classify the malocclusion. The psychosocial and dental indications and contraindications for treat- ment are discussed in Chapter 7. Starting points in treatment planning, planning for functional and anom- alous teeth, and the various Angle classification anom- alies are discussed in the remaining chapters of the book.

The textbook, written by two authorities from the Netherlands is very “European” in nature and somewhat different from most analogous texts of American origin. The “how and why” features of the subject are empha- sized rather than the “how to” aspect, the latter being left to specialist orthodontists. Most American texts, even those designed for the first degree program in dentistry, include sections on how to move teeth using a variety of appliances. The subject of cephalometrics is handled in much the same manner. The following extract from the book typifies the authors’ philosophy: “In view’of the limited indications for taking skull ra-

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diographs, and that the application rests with the ortho- dontist and not the general practitioner, no further dis- cussion of these films will be made here. Instead, extra consideration is given to the analysis of the other aids so as to obtain information that otherwise would have been found on the cephalometric radiographs.” That is not to infer that one system is any better than the other; supply and demand needs of countries may differ and the needs of each have to be catered to.

The text, printed on semigloss heavy paper, is bold and the illustrations, although limited in number, are adequate and clear. The volume is well referenced and the excellent eight-page table of contents enables the reader to readily identify areas of interests. If students and practicing dentists were to familiarize themselves with contents of such a volume, there is little doubt that not only would they have acquired a healthy respect for the subject, but such knowledge would serve them and their patients very well.

Alex Jacobson

Clinical Photography in Plastic Surgery Gerald D. Nelson and John L. Krause, editors Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1988. 155 pages, hard cover

Photographic records contain many details that can never be adequately described in print. Photographs provide the clinician with a multifactorial record for reference, research, and reflection, and the preserved image becomes more important with time. Whereas the text by the two editors and eight contributors was de- signed specifically for plastic surgeons and outlines what is currently considered to be the basis of accept- able clinical photography in plastic surgery, much of the material could be usefully applied by other health professionals.

Aspects of medical photography incorporated in the text include necessary equipment, including camera, lenses, and film, guidelines for selecting the correct lenses, reproduction ratio and background setting, po- sitioning the subject, consistency of pre- and postop- erative photographs, problems specific to office pho-