It is 41 years since the first edition of this book was published. In that time there have been so many developments in our understanding of dental disease, in materials, and in techniques so that there is now very little of that first edition remaining except the basic philosophy for managing patients with dental disease. This philosophy has several parallel threads which weave together. • Dentists primarily look after people with dental problems – not just mouths or teeth. • An understanding of the disease processes is fundamental to their management. • The diseases should be managed – not just treated. • Prevention is the keystone of management. The effectiveness of the prevention.
