Book review

Considering that relapse and retention affects every single orthodontic patient, it is a topic that is often overlooked in Orthodontics. I was therefore delighted to see that an up-to-date textbook has been written that is dedicated to this vital subject. This textbook, edited by two respected and experienced professors from Switzerland, brings together 13 chapters with contributions from 29 additional authors with expertise in the field.

The textbook is essentially divided into three sections. The first section, which is particularly enjoyable, focuses on orthodontic retention, covering the historical background to retainers, the biological basis for orthodontic relapses and a review of the clinical evidence supporting the use of different approaches to retention.

The second section focuses on ‘Dentofacial treatment stability and relapse’, with the emphasis of maintaining changes achieved after treating patients with skeletal discrepancies. While all the chapters in this section are of a high standard, some readers may prefer a more consistent approach. Some authors focused on the relapse and retention, while others, for example Chapter 7 about the ‘Stability and relapse of Class III treatment’, included significant information on diagnosis and treatment as well.