Dentition
Dentition is the number, types, and arrangement of teeth in an organism. It includes how teeth develop and whether they are replaced over time.
Tooth: A hard, specialized structure in the mouth used for biting, chewing, or other functions. Dentition counts and arranges these individual structures.
Tooth eruption: The movement of a developing tooth into its functional position in the mouth. Eruption establishes the visible sequence and timing of teeth in a dentition.
Dental formula of humans: The adult human pattern of 2 incisors, 1 canine, 2 premolars, and 3 molars per jaw quadrant. It is a familiar example of how a dentition is recorded numerically.
Homodont dentition: A dentition in which teeth are broadly similar in shape and function. It contrasts with the differentiated tooth types typical of many mammals.
Incisor: A front tooth with a cutting edge, adapted mainly for biting. Incisors form one of the major tooth types distinguished in dentition.
Diphyodonty: A pattern in which two successive generations of teeth develop during an animal’s life. It describes the common mammalian sequence of deciduous and permanent dentitions.
Dental microwear: Small-scale scratches and pits on tooth surfaces produced during feeding and other contact. Wear traces reveal how teeth were used beyond their basic arrangement.
Heterodont dentition: A dentition with distinct tooth types specialized for different functions. It describes the contrasting pattern represented by incisors, canines, premolars, and molars.
Canine tooth: A pointed tooth positioned between the incisors and premolars or cheek teeth. Canines add a distinct tooth type to many mammalian dentitions.
Polyphyodonty: A pattern in which teeth are replaced repeatedly throughout an animal’s life. It contrasts with the limited tooth replacement characteristic of most mammals.