Article
Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, the Basis of Diagnosis and Treatment
This book, from our most prodigious dental author, is now in its 3rd edition. Crispian Scully has set out ambitious aims to produce a text that will: i) aid the clinician in the diagnosis of the common as well as the more serious oral disorders; ii) suggest appropriate investigations to help confirm the diagnosis; and iii) provide management regimes and/or suggested referral pathways, to complete the patient care package.
To achieve these lofty aims there is much cross-referencing between chapters utilizing tables and algorithms: taking, for example, the single ulcer, the clinician can turn to section 2 (Common complaints), follow the appropriate algorithm and be led towards the more serious diagnosis in section 3 (Potentially malignant disorders), or towards a non-neoplastic diagnosis with management regimes, found in section 4 (Common and important orofacial conditions). Examples of suitable ‘patient information sheets’, as well as useful websites, are provided at the end of each chapter for the benefit of both patient and clinician.
In an added attempt to keep the book contemporary and relevant, reference is made to emergent therapies and also complementary medicine products. At the end of each chapter, a reference section provides a further resource for those wishing to examine the evidence base underpinning this extensive work.
It is not surprising that previous editions of this book, that now runs to over 400 pages, have won awards and plaudits since it was first published in 2004.
To whom would I recommend this book? I would not necessarily recommend that this book needs to be read cover to cover unless it is of specialist interest, however, practising clinicians may need to justify why they do not own such a valuable reference book rather than why they do. In the interest of your patients and your own erudition you would do well to have this tome close to hand in your office.