Implantology in General Dental Practice, Lloyd Searson, Martin Gough, Ken Hemmings. Carol Stream: Quintessence Publishing Co Inc, 2005, 100 pages. $54 US.
Implantology in General Dental Practice is an easy-reading, short, basic introduction book on dental implants divided into 6 chapters. The major topics include history and development of dental implants; patient selection and treatment planning; basic surgical and prosthetic procedures; and complications, including maintenance. These topics are covered well enough for the book to serve as a source of information but not well enough to actually prepare the neophyte dentist to start performing dental implant procedures. It has decent pictures and illustrations, though some pictures are mislabeled. It is surprisingly up-to-date regarding technology in implant dentistry, but the prosthetic principles described are somewhat outdated. The authors make a number of inaccurate or debatable points (eg, smokers have twice the failure rate as nonsmokers), and the book is not very well referenced. It can be read in a few short hours and would appeal to the dentist who has little or no implant education and experience; however, is likely too technical to serve as a patient-education tool.
Dental and Craniofacial Applications of Platelet-Rich Plasma, Robert E. Marx, DMD, Arun K. Garg, DMD. Carol Stream: Quintessence Publishing Co Inc, 2005, 154 pages. $98 US.
Dental and Craniofacial Applications of Platelet-Rich Plasma is a comprehensive text on the biology of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and its applications. It is likely the only text available exclusively devoted to PRP at this time and is written by the most prominent authority on this topic. It has approximately 150 pages divided into 6 chapters, which are organized within 3 sections. The major topics include the science and development of PRP; craniofacial applications; and dental applications such as sinus lifts, ridge augmentation, extraction defect management, and periodontal surgery. The book is very well written and referenced. The topics are covered nicely with excellent photos and illustrations. As a bonus, the book also provides useful surgical tips that the authors use when performing various surgical procedures, including sinus lifts, block grafting, and immediate implant placement. The book would serve as an excellent reference for the dental surgeon already using PRP in his or her practice as well as an excellent how-to manual to get started.
