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Book Reviews

Occlusion, 2nd edition. H. Thompson. Pp. 283. 199 1. Oxford, Butterwotth- Heinemann. Hardback f49.50.

Hamish Thomson has been persuaded to produce this second edition of the book that first appeared more than 15 years ago. The aim remains the same, that is, to provide an understanding of the tissues of the masticatory system and of their function and dysfunction, and to recommend methods of treatment of dysfunction. Although the outline remains the same, major revisions have been made to some chapters, notably those on articulators and crown and bridgework. Other chapters have been updated and changes in nomenclature introduced. The book sensibly starts with a description of the terms and concepts used in the text. The anatomy and physiology of the masticatory system are concisely described and a clear account is given of jaw relations and border movements. These chapters are particularly good as an introduction to the complexities of the masticatory system. Subsequent chapters on the importance of occlusion in fixed and removable prosthetics are all clear and easy to read. Mr Thomson distinguishes between occlusal disturbance which he defines as an alteration of function and occlusal disturbance which is the pathological response to the disorder. Occlusal disturbances and disorders are described and their treatments discussed subsequently. The chapters on what is described in the book as the mandibular dysfunction syndrome deserved greater revision. Several of the older references might have been discarded and instead, internal derangement mentioned. Nevertheless, this book introduces the subject well and, unlike many texts, brings to life occlusal problems associated with fixed and removable prosthetics. The book should be of interest to undergraduates and dentists who are looking for a user-friendly introduction to occlusion and its associated clinical problems. R. C. Jagger

Computers in Health Care: Dental Informatics. Integrating Technology into the Dental Environment. L. M. Abbey and J. L. Zimmerman. Pp. 348. 1992. London, Springer. Hardback, f 35.00.

Dental informatics is concerned with the potential use of information technology in all areas of dentistry. Currently, computers are used in many practices for accounting, patient recall and limited storage of clinical information. However, dental informatics can be used for dental education, research, computer-assisted diagnosis, quality assurance, direct electronic billing and digital storage of radiographic and other images. This book is organized into three sections containing 19 chapters written by 20 authors. The first section entitled ‘Dental Informatics’ starts with three chapters written by enthusiasts. They contain little information and should have been condensed into one. Subsequent chapters give an excellent, detailed account of the existing structure of American general practice, its trends, problems and indications of the relevance of dental informatics. Dr Ina-Veronika Wagner gives an excellent report of a workstation which demonstrates speech-recognition control for hands-free operator use and a decision-support system for aiding diagnosis. The second section ‘Integrating Technology into the Dental Environment’, contains nine chapters covering a wide diversity of topics including disease classification, computer-assisted learning (CAL) and research frontiers. The chapter on CAL is particularly interesting in describing a very extensive videodisc educational system which has been under development at the University of Iowa Dental College since 1986. The third section ‘Planning for the Future’ has only three chapters but provides details of groups, such as the American Association of Dental Schools, who are actively investigating the use of dental informatics. In conclusion, this book does contain a useful overview of a new subject but would have benefited from tighter editing. D. K. Benn