Book review

The Anatomical Basis of Dentistry is an extremely comprehensive and detailed text relating to gross anatomy and assembled specifically with the needs of students of dentistry in mind. It also provides good electronic resources as useful additions to the printed matter. The text is organized predominantly in terms of anatomical region but Chapters 1 and 8 introduce systemic anatomical concepts. Chapter 1 also includes some general, but important and frequently neglected topics, such as fascial planes and serous compartments. The final chapter provides an invaluable aid to students, providing dental applications of anatomy including local anaesthesia, clinical imaging and surgical procedures. Between the first and last chapters are sections based mainly on anatomy by region, with emphasis given to the head and neck in extensive sections on ‘The Neck’ (Chapter 5), ‘The Skull’ (Chapter 6), and ‘The Head by Regions’ including contents of the neurocranium (Chapter 7). By necessity, in a regional approach there is a tendency for important systemic concepts to become fragmented between several chapters. Here, the spinal cord is included in Chapter 2, ‘The Back’, while its anatomical and functional continuity with the rest of the central and peripheral nervous system is covered in other chapters. However, the nervous system as a whole is described in Chapter 1.7 ‘The Nervous System’ and Chapter 8 is devoted to ‘Systemic Anatomy of the Head and Neck’, including cranial nerves and autonomics. Chapters 4, 9 and 10 cover abdominopelvic viscera and upper and lower limbs, respectively, and may be considered by some to contain information redundant to some dental courses, although the rationale for including them is made clear in the Preface.