Treatment planning for the developing dentition

  • H. Rodd &
  • A. Wray
USA: Quintessence price $28, pp 150 ISBN 1850970815 | ISBN: 1-850-97081-5

Part of the Quintessential series, this book is aimed at general dental practitioners but is suitable for dental students. It covers treatment planning for the developing dentition in the practice setting. It is a colourfully illustrated text which is clearly laid out, making it easy to follow. The book is structured logically starting with a child's first visit, emphasising the importance of making the first dental encounter a positive experience.

The 'do's and don'ts' section in each chapter guides the clinician regarding common aspects of paediatric care, for example oral hygiene instruction, fluoride therapy and trauma management. Every clinician approaches local anaesthetic administration in paediatric patients with some trepidation. Therefore, I found the section on local anaesthetic administration extremely useful, especially phrases and terminology relevant for each age group eg describing the sensation of local anaesthetic once administered. The clinical scenarios in each chapter help the reader to put all the pieces together and visualise how the treatment planning principles are incorporated to manage examples of various clinical situations.

Each aspect of treatment in this book considers the possible orthodontic consequences of any action, for example, extraction of a first permanent molar or avulsion of a permanent maxillary central incisor. Restorative options for loss of a permanent maxillary incisor, such as an Essex retainer with an acrylic tooth to replace an avulsed tooth, are innovative as orthodontic space can be lost quickly. Perhaps this appliance could be used in cases of avulsion and luxation injuries to neighbouring teeth until a composite wire splint can be constructed. A fixed space maintainer fitted immediately post-extraction is an original concept provided the patient is compliant and their oral hygiene is adequate.

The prevention chapter describes interim alternatives to etching fissure prior to fissure sealants, a handy alternative for high caries risk patients presenting with partially erupted first permanent molars. Available restorative materials are discussed in sequence describing their uses, properties and applications. Although the reader may be aware of the available materials, the applications for the child patient may vary in some respects, which I found helpful.

It is easy to maintain six monthly recall appointments for all patients. However, there is an insightful recall strategy section at the end of the book which guides the clinician on suitable recall periods for their patients. The time between recall visits depends on caries risk, age, and medical history with reference to the recent NICE guidelines available online.

This text is great as a quick reference in the practice or as a guide for undergraduate studies, a useful addition to any dental library.