Article
Bruxism – Theory and Practice
This is a book of over 500 pages with 25 chapters written by over 30 contributors. It is a weighty tome covering bruxism in great detail over 3 parts entitled ‘Overview’, ‘Effects on the masticatory system’ and ‘Clinical approaches’. There are excellent chapters on aetiology and the last section on clinical management is a thorough overview. This reviewer particularly enjoyed chapters 5 and 6 on ‘The relationship with sleep’ and ‘Emotional factors’. Inevitably with so many authors, there is some degree of repetition and contradiction, but the message that bruxism is not just a dental problem but a wider medical problem is constant. Some chapters seem out of place in a book on bruxism, such as chapters 10 and 11 which cover ‘Erosion’ and ‘Gastroesophageal reflux as a cause of erosion’, respectively. The endodontic aspects are also discussed in chapter 13. The pharmacologic aspects were interesting to read, especially that Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors may trigger and even worsen bruxism, although the evidence has tended to be mainly from case reports. TMD and its relationship with bruxism inevitably takes up considerable space but the point that not all TMD patients brux and that not all bruxers have TMD is well made.
Complex modalities, such as implants and full mouth fixed and removable prostheses not really applicable to primary care, are discussed before simple management strategies, including splint therapy. It would have been a good idea to have had a more logical step-by-step increase from simple to complex, which the reader could follow more easily.
This is a Quintessence publication and therefore the quality of illustrations and presentation are excellent. This book fuses the scientific basis of related anatomy and pain physiology with bruxism research and its clinical management. Its publication is well timed given the likely increase in bruxism in these stressful times. It is a costly book at over £100 and is more of a reference book for the keenly interested clinician rather than the busy general dental practitioner. Nonetheless, it has a wealth of information and will be a useful read for an aspiring specialist in a variety of dental specialties.