Introduction to dental materials (3rd edition)

  • R. van Noort
UK: Elsevier price £39.99; pp 304 ISBN 0723434042 | ISBN: 0-723-43404-2

This is an important publication since it is one of the core textbooks in dental materials for many dental students in the United Kingdom and most likely, further afield. The author is Richard van Noort, Professor in Dental Materials Science, at The University of Sheffield. Professor van Noort has an international reputation in the field of dental materials. This third edition aims to make dental materials science readily accessible to the dental student. The book's aim is eloquently summarised by the author in the preface: 'to guide the reader down the long road to becoming informed practitioners who not only know what should be done and how it should be done, but also why it should be done'.

The author has retained the same style from previous editions and divided the book into three sections: basic science for dental materials, clinical dental materials and laboratory and related dental materials.

Reading of the basic science chapters would allow anyone to get a grasp of the principles and terminology involved in dental materials. This would equip them well for further reading including scrutinising the data and claims made by material manufacturers.

Content new to this edition includes, in the chapter on endodontic materials, a short but well written section on MTA. The section on polyacid modified resin composites has also been updated. Addition cured silicones are now covered in more detail in the chapter on impression materials. This chapter also features a useful table comparing the various impression materials.

Section three, dealing with laboratory based materials, has been expanded and updated. Pure Alumina and Zirconia core systems are described, including the application of CAD-CAM technology. The table outlining the relative merits of a number of ceramic crown systems provides a useful summary of this area.

The further reading sections have been updated with contemporary references to key journal articles. The 'clinical significance' boxes, containing key points of relevance to clinical practice, neatly intersperse the text and 245 informative illustrations.

The book represents value for money. It comprehensively covers the subject area, is well written and is easy to read. In updated guise, it rightfully should remain a core text for the dental undergraduate. Indeed, it is suitable reading for anyone wishing to develop a genuine understanding of dental materials.