Dental Biomechanics

Edited by:
  • A. N. Natali
(ed) London: Taylor & Francis, 2003 price: £62.72, pp304 ISBN 0415306663 | ISBN: 0-415-30666-3

This book consists of 264 pages broken into 12 chapters. It covers diverse topics of biomechanics relating to dentistry from mechanics of bone tissue in the periodontal ligament through to titanium based materials. There are two sections of specific interest for orthodontics and there is a reasonable reading list/reference list at the end of each chapter. The book covers many of the techniques incorporating mechanics within dentistry, including finer element analysis and other mechanical considerations. There are sections on different types of models, describing how materials behave under mechanical load.

Overall the book is reasonably well put together although this reviewer finds that some of the drawings, particularly of dental structures could be improved. The morphology on teeth seems to vary considerably. Additionally, it is always disappointing in a reference list of a book of this type to find outside citations to other books are included when what we should be moving towards is more evidence base, with specific articles providing the baseline data.

The cost of this book, however, whilst reflecting a professional presentation, does seem a little overstated.