DentalTown Book Review By: Thomas Giacobbi, DDS

The Drug Information Handbook for Dentistry is a widely known dental drug reference, and it was my first experience with Lexi-Comp’s library of books. Recently, I had the opportunity to read two more selections from their reference library: Oral Soft Tissue Diseases: A Reference Manual for Diagnosis and Management and Clinician’s Endodontic Handbook.

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Oral Soft Tissue Diseases: A Reference Manual for Diagnosis 153-pgs By: J. Robert Newland, DDS, MS, Timothy F. Meiller, DDS, PhD, Richard L. Wynn, BSPharm, PhD, & Harold L. Crossley, DDS, PhD $49.95

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Clearly labeled red and black tabs extend beyond the cover of Oral Soft Tissue Diseases: A Reference Manual for Diagnosis and Management, and make this a very user-friendly reference manual. The nine tabs have names like “Red Lesions”, “Ulcerating Lesions” and “Soft Tissue Enlargement;” this indexing method can often lead you to a diagnosis very quickly. This book does not pretend to be the all inclusive repository of oral pathology; the authors have provided dental practitioners with a reference manual of the most commonly seen, diagnostically challenging, life threatening and occupationally risky for the dental team, oral pathologies.

Each disease is described using the same format of headings: “etiology, typical visual cues, other useful clinical information, differential diagnosis, diagnostic steps, treatment recommendations and clinical significance.” Furthermore, every disease is demonstrated with multiple high quality color photographs of typical presentations. The ‘treatment recommendations’ section includes specific medications where indicated and full monographs for these drugs are provided in the back of the book.

Some soft tissue conditions can be diagnosed easily, but when your patient is an engineer, they may want much more information than a name for their disease. The pictures and concise descriptions of these diseases would be an appropriate adjunct to your patient education materials. However, I would not place a copy of this book in your reception area; some of the pictures are ‘gross.’ (Yes, I realize you would never do such a silly thing.)
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Clinician’s Endodontic Handbook 288-pgs By: Thom C. Dumsha, MS, DDS, MS, & James L. Gutmann, DDS, FACD, FICD $29.95

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The Clinician’s Endodontic Handbook is a compact guide to this painful specialty, and I think the endodontists in this country can hold their heads high knowing that it took 288-pages to summarize their specialty. All kidding aside, this book starts with 5 pages devoted to “Histology of Tooth and Supporting Periodontium” and finishes with a concise chapter entitled “Endodontic Surgery.” This is Endodontics from A to Z. There are 21 chapters total and each deals with a different aspect of endodontic treatment; for example: “Diagnosis of Pulp and Periradicular Diseases, Radiology, Treatment of Endodontic Emergencies and Non-Surgical Retreatment.” Chapters are organized in an outline form, listing only the most essential information, and there are a number of boxed “Clinical Notes” that draw attention to special circumstances, clinical hints and contro-versial topics. There are also “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQs) at the end of the chapters to address typical reader concerns. The information is complete in each chapter and you would be hard pressed to find a significant endodontic issue missing from this handbook.
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Drug Information Handbook for Dentistry 1500-pgs By: Richard L. Wynn, BSPharm, PhD, Timothy F. Meiller, DDS, PhD, Harold L. Crossley, DDS, PhD $39.95

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Lexi-Comp recently released the 7th Edition of The Drug Information Handbook for Dentistry, and this book is much more than monographs of 5500 plus drugs. The newest edition includes sections on cardiovascular disease, HIV/AIDS, new products for treatment of apthous ulcers and periodontal disease, and a complete listing of artificial saliva products for xerostomia. There are two separate indices, which simplify the task of locating a drug, and every monograph includes local anesthetic precautions and effects on dental treatment. This book is simply excellent and you should have a copy in your office.
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Author’s Note: You may notice that I have not provided the “60 Second Summary” for this month’s selections. These are reference books, and by their nature they are already summaries of information. For information on these books, please call 1-800-837-5394 or visit their website at www.lexi.com.

E-mail Tom at tgiacobbi@todaysdental.com