Endodontic microbiology

  • A. F. Fouad
UK: Wiley-Blackwell price £84.99; pp 352 ISBN 9780813826462 | ISBN: 978-0-8138-2646-2

Endodontic microbiology is a surprisingly easy to read book. It covers a huge area of endodontics from molecular analysis of endodontics to the use of systemic antibiotics. Due to the complex nature of the book, it is aimed at the specialist endodontist, but would be useful for general practitioners and students alike wanting to add something to their learning.

The book is very evidence-based and this assures the reader that the points made are up to date. It is well illustrated making some of the more in depth text easier to understand, and perhaps more importantly for the clinician, demonstrates clear links between the microbiological processes and the clinical findings, signs and symptoms.

The chapters in the book are well placed and organised following on from each other in an obvious way. The early chapters summarise the recent developments in microbiology, where we are today and the limits that microbiology has and will encounter in the future, giving the reader the necessary background knowledge. It then goes on to describe the processes of dental infections including the epidemiology and impact of these diseases, before launching into chapters on the grittier stuff of virulence, bacteria and fungi involved in these processes.

There is an excellent chapter on the management of aggressive head and neck infections associated with odontogenic infections, which is very straightforward yet in depth, with good illustrations allowing the facial planes to be visualised with ease. Another chapter I found very interesting was on the use of systemic antibiotics in endodontics; this chapter explains which antibiotics are useful in what situations and why it is they work, including diagrams, making it easy to understand.

I think overall this is a very informative and useful book, and would be the book of choice once confident with the techniques of endodontics. It is not the cheapest book at £84.99 but for the quality of the text it is fantastic value for money. I would recommend it to all clinicians at any stage in their career that are interested in endodontics.