While many prosthodontics textbooks focus on the art and technical science of prosthetic treatment, this unique book addresses the medical and surgical aspects of treating partially and completely edentulous patients and emphasizes the need to attend to the biologic, psychologic, and social dimensions of illness and care, particularly for those clinicians providing advanced care to patients who require resection and reconstruction or who have oral complications from radiation and chemotherapy. Like the first edition, this book presents a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment that considers the effects on speech, chewing, and swallowing and the social roles that teeth play in a person's life. But the similarity ends there. Since the first edition was published in 1983, the clinical practice of prosthodontics has dramatically changed as patient desires and expectations have shifted away from purely function-related concerns toward an emphasis on esthetics and convenience. Moreover, new technologies and materials have been developed to achieve more predictable and successful outcomes.
For example, immediate loading has made implant therapy a more accessible and predictable treatment option; ceramic materials now satisfy the demands for esthetic and functional restorations; and, three-dimensional imaging techniques such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging aid the clinician in treatment planning and preprosthetic considerations. Completely rewritten and updated, this new second edition highlights all of these emerging developments as it guides prosthodontic residents and practitioners in providing comprehensive and empathic care.