DANIEL A. PAESANI, Editor
552 pages, 958 illustrations. $248. 2010.
Quintessence Publishing
4350 Chandler Drive
Hanover Park, IL 60133.
(800) 621-0387
www.quintpub.com
This thorough, detailed text covers all aspects of bruxism known to contemporary dentistry. Compiled from a list of renowned contributors, it is well organized and enforced with comprehensive bibliographies.
Although bruxism is not a point of emphasis in orthodontic treatment planning, it is a subject that deserves more focused attention, especially with our growing population of adult patients. When we notice teeth that have been abraded and foreshortened due to relentless grinding, what do we do? What advice do we give our patients? This book will help answer those questions.
The first section of eight chapters deals with diagnostic guidelines, sleep physiology, the influence of peripheral and emotional factors, jaw movement disorders, and bruxism in children. The second section comprises nine chapters examining the effects of bruxism on masticatory components. The third section's eight chapters deal with specific treatments for bruxism--usually involving the use of night splints, since nocturnal bruxing is the most pernicious aspect of this condition. My take-home message is that as comprehensive dental specialists, we should be more aware of the causes and consequences of bruxism. In my experience, Essix and similar vacuum-formed plastic retainers act as night splints that can prevent attritional tooth wear because they encompass the occlusal and incisal enamel surfaces and are worn when bruxism is the most devastating--at night.
JOHN J. SHERIDAN, DDS, MSD
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