Clinical Success in Surgical and Orthodontic Treatment of Impacted Teeth

In the first chapter, which describes the intraosseous eruptive pathways of the maxillary incisors and canines, the authors point out the relationship of malpositioned tooth buds to the anatomic structures. The second chapter places little emphasis on the clinical examination, attaching much more importance to the radiographic assessment of impacted teeth. While the discussion of two-dimensional imaging techniques is exhaustive, the description of three-dimensional imaging is less thorough, omitting such new technologies as cone-beam volumetric computed tomography.

In Chapter 3, the authors cover various preventive strategies. A deeper analysis and description of case types would have helped the reader understand when to apply a particular strategy and which sequence to follow in interceptive treatment.

The final four chapters will be particularly interesting to clinicians. Chapter 4 briefly describes the stages of orthodontic treatment of impacted teeth, from a bonding protocol to examples of common appliances and forces to clinical tips. Surgical approaches are also presented in general form, but without clear guidelines as to their clinical indications.

In Chapters 5 and 6, through a series of cases, a more detailed description is given of the clinical and radiographic examination and the orthodontic and surgical treatment plan for palatally and buccally impacted maxillary canines. Surgical exposure of impacted canines is addressed, with the focus more on technique and flap design than on risks and complications. The final chapter is a brief review of impacted mandibular canines.

This text achieves its aim as a comprehensive work on the successful treatment of impacted teeth. It can be recommended not only for dental and orthodontic students, but also for experienced clinicians, because of its practical information and advice and its rich collection of illustrations.

SUSANNA BOTTICELLI, DDS