P. G. Miles, D. J. Rinchuse, D. J. Rinchuse. Quintessence price £80.00; pp 220 ISBN

9780867155648

Evidence-based clinical practice is paramount within both medicine and dentistry today. The authors recognise that although decisions in healthcare should be based on scientific evidence rather than personal opinion, the busy practitioner could become overwhelmed by the vast, often contradictory, literature published. Therefore, this text expertly reviews current evidence for several topics in orthodontics and succinctly summarises the key findings with bullet points at the end of each chapter.

Content covered includes early treatment, extraction and non-extraction, impacted canines, temporary skeletal anchorage devices, root resorption, temporomandibular disorders and retention. Controversial subjects are critically evaluated based on current research findings, before balanced conclusions are drawn. The authors also highlight when evidence is not available, resulting in an extensive and unbiased text.

Each chapter is detailed, heavily referenced, and complemented with cases, diagrams and clinical photographs. The considered and structured layout by the respected editors reflects their involvement in education, research and practice. References are clearly presented at the end of each chapter, providing an excellent starting point should the reader wish to pursue a topic in more depth.

The book offers clinically valuable information highly relevant to all orthodontic practitioners. Since it is not a standard theoretical textbook, it assumes the reader has a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of orthodontics. For instance chapter four discusses wires used in orthodontic practice, and demands complete clarity of the underpinning dental materials science, with frequent references to complex equations and graphs. As a result, it is unlikely to be as pertinent for undergraduate dental students or general practitioners without a special interest in orthodontics.

I conclude that this evidence-based text should be essential reading for every orthodontist and orthodontic student. Upon reflection, I would like to echo the sentiments of the contributors: our future clinical decisions should involve integration of the best available evidence, alongside clinical expertise and individual patient values, to provide treatment that is proven to be both safe and effective.