'Textbook of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery' Summary of the book
Historically, the vast majority of textbooks have been written and published in America and it goes without saying that these books are of fine quality. Becoming a specialist in oral surgery and oral, and maxillofacial surgery in Britain commands an exceptional degree of training, the highest in the profession, and it is therefore appropriate and refreshing to acknowledge the work of a group of British oral surgery specialists, who authored this excellent book. Dr U. J. Moore has contributed heavily to the area of oral surgery, and is involved in postgraduate teaching in Newcastle Dental Hospital and Royal Victoria Infirmary; making him a very credible editor of this latest edition. The book is addressed to a wide audience, from undergraduate dental and medical students, through to general dental practitioners, oral and maxillofacial senior house officers, registrars and established. specialists. The textbook has been correlated by a diverse group of clinicians, including: consultant oral surgeons, consultants and professors of oral and maxillofacial surgery, and consultant restorative. dentists. First published over 40 years ago. this book is thoroughly revised and reflects the latest technological developments in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The book is divided into 18 chapters. Topics include: patient assessment, human diseases, medical emergencies, pharmacology of oral surgery, the operating room, exodontia, pre-prosthetic surgery, surgical infection, odontogenic cysts, maxillofacial trauma, oncology, temporomandibular disorders, chronic orofacial pain and facial deformity. Throughout each chapter there is generous use of subtitles that compartmentalise the different themes and this is well supported by clinical photographs, diagrams, figures and tables. At the end of each chapter are suggestions for further reading, enabling the reader to acquire the relevant evidence base for points raised in the text. Oral and maxillofacial surgery relies heavily on a multidisciplinary approach to manage the majority of cases; integrating elements of surgery, radiology, pathology and oral medicine. This is well supported in this textbook and certainly promotes synoptic learning; avoiding fragmentation of the speciality. The four chapters that cover exodontia are a particular highlight; covering principles of. the surgical plan, routine extraction, complications and other more complex themes, including extraction of buried canines. In summary, I would not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone interested in this field. It covers all the essential areas of oral and maxillofacial surgery, and provides a firm foundation for further. reading. As a dental officer who wishes to embark on a career in oral. and maxillofacial surgery, I am all too aware of the steep learning curve ahead; however, this book has become an excellent resource to. start my preparations for this exciting transition.
-L. Bovensiepen