J. G. Wittneben, H. P. Weber. Quintessence price £68.00; pp 276 ISBN

9783868671414

An extended edentulous space in the aesthetic zone is described by many as the most challenging situation in implant dentistry. Written by a team of experts, this text aims to provide clinicians with practice orientated and evidence-based information on procedures for placing and restoring multiple implants in such situations.

The text is broken up into nine well laid-out chapters. It begins with a review of the available evidence upon which the text is based. Usefully, it sounds words of caution for areas where the current literature is lacking.

It moves on to an excellent chapter on pre-operative evaluation and treatment planning. Risk assessment is an important factor for the planning of any case and here the chapter excels by providing several easy to follow tables that act as a quick reference guide for classifying case complexity.

Surgical considerations are discussed in depth. Cone-beam CT images back up the recommended prosthodontically-driven approach to surgical planning. There is plenty of information on timing of implant placement after extractions, degree of ridge resorption, the conditions required for a staged or simultaneous bone augmentation approach, and number and location of implants required for different cases.

A chapter on prosthodontic considerations follows. Each step from provisionalisation to final restoration is explained in detail. The use of screw or cement-retained implants is compared, along with a description of factors to be considered in abutment selection.

Chapter six is the highlight of this text. Nine clinical cases are presented and described in fascinating detail. They cover everything from the initial complaint, to treatment planning, to procedural techniques. There are exceptional photographs to describe each stage and all cases vary, covering a diverse range of situations.

The text ends with a useful chapter on causes, prevention and management of complications, with real-life examples providing the realisation that this treatment option is not without risk.

In summary, I found this text very educational. The easy to follow layout eases your understanding of the various steps involved in formulating a complex treatment plan, whilst also providing plenty of useful information that can be taken and used in any case. Everything is backed up with high-quality images and descriptions of real-life examples. I would highly recommend the text to anyone with a keen interest in implants. It assumes a good understanding of implantology already, but I would not let this dissuade the novice from reading it.