Book review

  • M. A. Papadopoulos
Elsevier price £110; pp 312 ISBN 9780723436492 | ISBN: 978-0-7234-3649-2

Orthodontics is continually evolving with new technology and ideas. A collaboration of 96 international authors contributed to the production of this book – introducing a wide and varied discussion on the currently available skeletal anchorage devices. The text is directed towards postgraduate students, clinical researchers and specialist orthodontic practitioners.

It is an expertly presented (larger than A4) size book, with nine manageable sections and 52 chapters. The focus is based on obtaining anchorage in treatment of Class II malocclusions without the need for traditional methods and, importantly, not relying on patient compliance. There are professionally detailed diagrams and photographs throughout the text that aid understanding and reinforce the information within. At the end of each chapter there is a useful reference list, providing the reader with an opportunity to further explore the topics covered.

There is an initial introduction – discussing the diagnosis and treatment of Class II malocclusions and associated anchorage difficulties. Subsequent sections discuss both clinical and surgical considerations in the use of skeletal anchorage devices, before giving details of each individual device – specifically implants, miniscrews and miniplates. The final section summarises the current evidence on the use of the above-mentioned devices.

As with any book, there are always aspects that could be improved. One negative, in my opinion, is its physical size – I find the book difficult to transport and also difficult to hold while reading. However, I do realise that reduction in its size may result in a lesser quality book with either smaller text or fewer images.

In summary, the above book is the first of its kind, as there is currently no published text detailing all of the available orthodontic anchorage devices. I like the overall layout of the textbook and find it easy to read. Ultimately, I feel this is a resource that will assist many orthodontic practitioners in their daily practice while treating complex Class II malocclusions.