Book review

This atlas aims to illustrate the use of wires bonded directly to teeth to align them without the use of brackets. It builds on a technique first introduced by Aldo Macchi and Eric Liou who used this method at first to treat mild anterior relapse and then mild, previously untreated, anterior crowding.

The book starts with an understandably brief chapter on the materials used, given the simplicity in principle of a bracketless system. It does, however, give you the first indication that the chairside archwire bending required is technique sensitive and anything other than basic (bearing in mind a large proportion of UK orthodontists would not be comfortable bending up a straight multistrand retainer wire for aligned teeth post-treatment chairside). A novel means of ensuring sliding mechanics is maintained during initial alignment is then discussed, with a sleeve of wax being added to the wire where the composite will encase it on the tooth. The importance of the flowable composite remaining clear of the interdental spaces and the gingival sulci is highlighted, but the difficulty in achieving this is subsequently evident in the illustrations.