For the third time, Dr Nisha Garg creates a new edition of her well-known book Textbook of Operative Dentistry, which is, perhaps, one of the smartest cover-to-cover textbooks, and best described in an easy-to-learn and easy-to-teach manner.

Embracing and presenting a modern practical guide to provide a sound operative outcome through the highest quality of educational illustration and clinical case presentation. These wonderful thirty-two chapters are characterized by clinical and teaching excellence expressing the authors’ dedication and legacy to update learners with the art and science of this rapidly and dramatically changing field.

From the Introduction to Operative Dentistry in chapter one starting with the evolutionary history of Operative Dentistry, its indications and objectives going through Tooth Nomenclature, Physiology of Tooth Form, Cariology, Types and Classification of Instruments, Principles of Tooth Preparation, the hot topic of Pulp Protection and ending up with all what a student or a practitioner needs to know regarding Bonding Agents and Techniques, Amalgam and Cast Metal Restorations that all together make a formidable edition to those interested in mastering this craft in this branch of dentistry.

This copiously illustrated edition with high-quality photographs, line diagrams and clinical cases, demonstrates comprehensive evidence-based theoretical and clinical knowledge for continuous education. This would meet the increasing demand and expectations of the dental professionals, who strive for enhanced patient care.

Although an associate not a substitute for essential training and clinical practice, this text will continue to provide practitioners from all around the globe and, particularly, in the Asia Pacific region with a reliable, exceptional reference and manual written by great teachers and authors that addresses specialists as well as general practitioners.

The direct and indirect acquired benefits include increased confidence and craftsmanship to provide a quality service of even difficult clinical situations. Although many books have been written on this subject, every professional, including myself, acknowledges the genuine and sincere efforts and expresses the deepest gratitude and appreciation for this unique adjunct educational resource that spreads enthusiasm and optimism.

The book attempts to incorporate most recent advances in Operative Dentistry while at the same time not losing the sight of basics, therefore, making the study of Operative Dentistry easier and interesting. The main feature of this new edition is a new format wherein the flow charts and photographs are in plenty. All the chapters have standout boxes which will help the reader to have a quick review of the concept. Many boxes, such as facts, viva-voce, recapitulation and examiner’s choice questions, have been added to help the students undertake review and revision. This third edition would not have been possible without the help and motivation of our friends and colleagues. In an attempt to improve the book further, many eminent personalities were invited to edit, write and modify the important chapters in the form of text and photographs. We are thankful to all the contributors for their respective help in this book in the form of photographs and critically evaluating the chapters.

We offer our humble gratitude and sincere thanks to Professor Avtar Singh (Chairman), and Mr Daman Jeet Singh (Director), Sri Sukhmani Dental College (SSDC), Dera Bassi, Punjab, India, for providing healthy and encouraging environment for our work.

We wish to thank all our colleagues at Sri Sukhmani Dental College, Dera Bassi, Mohali, Punjab, India, who gave helpful advice while editing of the text. We would be failing in our duty if we do not acknowledge the readers, senior lecturers and post- graduates of Darshan Dental College, Udaipur, for their contribution in the book in the form of clinical photographs.

We are grateful to dental companies: Dentsply, GC Fuji, Coltene Whaledent, and AMT dental products for providing high resolution images of products related to Operative Dentistry.

We are thankful to our passionate publisher, Shri Jitendar P Vij (Group Chairman), Mr Ankit Vij (Group President), Mr Tarun Duneja (Director–Publishing), Dr Priya Verma (Editor-in-Chief–Dental), Ms Samina Khan (Executive Assistant to Director–Publishing), Mr KK Raman (Production Manager), Mr Sunil Kumar Dogra (Production Executive), Mr Neelambar Pant (Production Coordinator), Mr Ashutosh Srivastava (Asstt. Editor), Mr Manoj Pahuja (Senior Graphic Designer), Mr Chandra Dutt (Typesetter) and the other staff of M/s Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi, India, for showing personal interest and trying their level best to bring the book in the present form.

Last but not least, we would like to thank all the authors, editors and publishers of Operative Dentistry and other books whose sources have provided great help in editing the third edition of this book.

It is hoped that all these modifications will be appreciated and render the book more valuable basis for Operative Dentistry.

We shall be highly indebted to our readers, if they analyze the text critically and send us useful suggestions for improving quality of this book for the next edition.

Since effective practice of operative dentistry requires not only excellent manual skills but also both understanding of disease process and properties of dental materials available for use. The main objective of the book is to provide students with the knowledge required while they are developing necessary clinical skills and attitude in their undergraduate and postgraduate training in Operative Dentistry. We have tried to cover wide topics such as cariology, different techniques and materials available for restorations, recent concepts in management of carious lesions, infection control, minimally intervention dentistry and nanotechnology.

So we can say that after going through this book, the reader should be able to: