Werner Schupp, Julia Haubrich with contributions from Wolfgang Boisserée, John Morton, and Kenji Ojima
Quintessence Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois
The authors of this volume on orthodontic aligner therapy have no interest in promoting or proving the scientific basis for the treatments they display; rather they simply want to offer assistance to clinicians with the diagnosis, treatment planning, and therapy with these appliances.
The diagnostic chapter presents detailed illustrations of the authors’ diagnostic regimen, which includes a thorough examination of the craniomandibular system (CMS) and musculoskeletal system (MSS). This involves the inflexible use of centric relation as a starting point for subsequent diagnostic decisions and the use of mounted models to simulate findings in the mouth.
The chapter on biomechanics of aligner therapy offers only the most rudimentary advice and is the only chapter totally approved by Invisalign® (Align Technology, Inc.) It illustrates with clear images how clinicians can apply the SmartForce® attachments and offers the theory behind this important addition to the aligner armamentarium.
The book has only five chapters. The first three chapters occupy only 41 pages, while the fourth and most clinical of the book takes up 301 of the 368 pages. This significant chapter displays aligner treatments of various malocclusions. If you think that aligner therapy mainly corrects rotated incisors, then the offerings of this principal section should completely disabuse you of that simplistic notion. The authors show treatments of open bites, closed bites, Cl II malocclusions, Cl III malocclusions, treatments with periodontally challenged patients, craniomandibular dysfunctions, asymmetric occlusions, and so on.
The authors have not supplied any posttreatment cephalometric superimpositions, so readers have no idea how the teeth have responded, but they have provided ample and matchless photographs before, during, and after treatments.
Neither have the authors given more than a partial page of bibliographic references, but they have introduced this tome as a clinician’s guide and not as a researcher’s manual.
The publication has all of the expected virtues of the Quintessence Publishing Co. with thick durable pages, unsurpassed images, and attractive page layouts. The narratives are succinct yet clear and to the point. The abundant photographs make this an easy book to consult for specific malocclusions amenable to aligner therapy, and one that clinicians should have at the ready.
Review by Dr. Larry White
Stay Relevant With Orthodontic Practice US
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