In 1844, Horace Wells, a Connecticut dentist, encountered nitrous oxide, or laughing gas--then an entertainment for performers in carnival-like theatrical acts--and began administering the gas as the first true anesthetic. His discovery would change the world, reshaping medicine and humanity's relationship with pain. But that discovery would also thrust Wells into scandals that threatened his reputation, his family, and his sanity--hardships and triumphs that resonate in today's struggles with what hurts us and what we take to stop the hurt. In this novel, Michael Downs mines the gaps in the historical record and imagines the motivations and mysteries behind Wells's morbid fascination with pain, as well as the price he and his wife, Elizabeth, paid--first through his obsession, then his addiction. The book is a love story, but also a story of what love can't redeem; of narcotic dreams and waking insanity; of humbug and miracle; of pain's destruction and what pains can never be eased. Following Wells throughout New England and across the ocean to Paris, the novel immerses the reader in the nineteenth century, conveying through rich physical description and telling dialogue the tragic life of a dentist who gave everything to rid the world of suffering.

The Manual of Minor Oral Surgery for the General Dentist provides a clear and thorough practical guide to performing the common surgical procedures encountered in dental offices on a day-to-day basis. Building on a sound basis of the proper protocols and appropriate standards of care, the book approaches each procedure through detailed, step-by-step description and illustration. Richly illustrated with clinical photography, the Manual of Minor Oral Surgery offers dentists an indispensable tool to carry out their everyday work, as well as providing information on more advanced procedures for those experienced dentists wishing to develop professionally. The Manual of Minor Oral Surgery focuses on difficult extractions, including third molar impactions as well as covering other common surgeries, such as apicos, surgical crown lengthening, pre-prosthetic surgery, and biopsies. A section on supportive aspects of surgery addresses medical histories, management of infection and bleeding, and oral sedation. It contains medico-legal recommendations and safety requirements needed in today’s busy general practice. Finally, there is also a chapter on organizing and conducting humanitarian dental trips to Third World countries. Key Features: Fully illustrated with step-by-step clinical photography Demonstrates everyday procedures as well as more advanced surgery Designed specifically for the general dental practice Provides patient management guidelines and appropriate safety protocols

Portable, user-friendly reference covers the most essential oral surgery information! Oral Surgery for Dental Students: A Quick Reference Guide by nationally recognized oral and maxillofacial surgeons and educators Jeffrey A. Elo and Alan S. Herford focuses on essential oral surgery-related topics and management of patients in general dental practice. Well-rounded perspectives are reflected in contributions from dental students, an oral and maxillofacial surgery resident, an oral and maxillofacial radiologist, an oral and maxillofacial pathologist, and an author/anatomist. Key Features: Step-by-step chapters with clinical images and online videos detail instrumentation, posture/ergonomics, and proper techniques of dental extraction In-depth chapters on radiographic analysis and interpretation, common oral pathologies/lesions, medical emergencies, and co-occurring patient health issues, including protocols and case studies Sample note writing and new patient scripts provide unique tutorials for dental students, residents, and new dentists This quintessential clinical learning tool also provides a quick procedural review prior to treating dental/surgical patients.

Unlike other books on the history of dentistry, The Long Climb: From Barber-Surgeons to Doctors of Dental Surgery outlines the personal struggles endured and victories achieved by the leading personalities of dentistry during its development from antiquity to the present. It showcases the courage and determination of dentistry's pioneers while exposing the episodes of weakness and dishonesty that tarnished the image of the dentist. By highlighting the controversies surrounding major advances in dentistry -- gold versus amalgam fillings materials, operative versus mechanical dentistry, the relationship between medicine and dentistry, and the restriction of practice imposed by patents -- this book gives life to the same old story, making this history book the most robust and entertaining of its kind.