Heterodont dentition

Heterodont dentition is a pattern in which teeth differ in shape and function within the same jaw. It contrasts with homodont dentition, where teeth are broadly similar.

Incisor: A front tooth with a relatively sharp edge, used mainly to cut or bite food. Incisors are specialized for cutting at the front of a heterodont jaw.
Occlusion (dentistry): The contact relationship between upper and lower teeth when the jaws close. Opposing teeth must meet in ways that make specialized cutting or grinding effective.
Mammalian dentition: The number, kinds, and arrangement of teeth in mammals. Mammals provide especially varied examples of differentiated tooth classes and functions.
Homodont dentition: A pattern in which teeth within a jaw are broadly similar in shape and function. It is the direct contrast: tooth forms are not divided into strongly distinct classes.
Canine tooth: A usually pointed tooth positioned between the incisors and cheek teeth. Canines commonly grasp, pierce, or tear food, adding a distinct role to the tooth row.
Mastication: The mechanical breakdown of food by movements of the jaws and teeth. Different tooth shapes divide the work of chewing into cutting, crushing, and grinding.
Carnassial: A specialized shearing pair of upper and lower cheek teeth in many carnivorous mammals. Carnassials show how particular tooth positions can form a coordinated cutting tool.
Polyphyodonty: The repeated replacement of teeth throughout an animal’s life. Replacement frequency is a separate feature from whether teeth differ in shape.
Premolar: A cheek tooth behind the canine and in front of the molars in many mammals. Premolars contribute to crushing or shearing between the front and rear tooth classes.
Tooth development: The biological processes that form teeth from embryonic tissues and establish their shapes and positions. Development produces the distinct forms that make a dentition heterodont.

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