Dentofacial Esthetics: From Macro to Micro

DAVID M. SARVER, DMD, MS

512 pages, 2,500+ illustrations. $268. 2020.
Quintessence Publishing Co., Inc.

411 N. Raddant Road, Batavia, IL 60510
(800) 621-0387; www.quintbook.com.

It is indeed my pleasure to review the latest text by David Sarver, whom I have admired as a superb clinician, author, and speaker. This large-format, 512-page book is easy to read and profusely illustrated with treatment histories.

Of the eight chapters, the first is an introduction that describes in personal terms the treatment of a patient who severely damaged her dentition, compromising her smile and facial esthetics. The next chapter discusses Dr. Sarver’s soft-tissue paradigm, elaborating with patient examples how problem- and goal-oriented orthodontic treatment planning can be integrated.

Chapter 3 offers a detailed description of macro-, mini-, and micro-esthetics and the components of balanced facial esthetics. A case history-based analysis and strategies are presented for lifetime esthetics in both adolescent and adult patients. Principles of treatment planning are summarized in the subsequent chapter, taking the reader step-by-step through data acquisition and positioning of teeth based on various components, including the smile zone.

Chapter 5 discusses such clinical problems as gummy smile, hypermobile smile, vertical maxillary deficiency, asymmetrical smile, and smile issues related to tooth dimensions. The following chapter covers micro-esthetic improvements involving gingivo­plasty for crown lengthening, as well as its timing during treatment. Several case histories are presented, based on a macro-, mini-, and micro-esthetic evaluation. Chapters 7 and 8 describe management of congenitally missing teeth and interdisciplinary care, including esthetic considerations in orthognathic and plastic surgery.

Kudos to Dr. Sarver for tackling the subject of esthetics, which has often received less attention than it deserves. He emphasizes that orthodontics is about more than managing occlusion; “it’s about creating faces and smiles that are functional and beautiful.” I highly recommend this book to orthodontists and graduate students, and also to dentists and surgeons who seek to manage smile zone and facial esthetics.

RAVINDRA NANDA, BDS, MDS, PhD