Mammalian dentition

Mammalian dentition is the differentiated arrangement of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars in the jaws. Tooth form and placement vary with diet, development, and evolutionary history.

Incisor: A tooth with a cutting edge, positioned at the front of the jaw. Incisors occupy the front of mammalian tooth rows and cut or nip food.
Tooth development: The process by which interactions between oral epithelium and underlying tissues produce teeth. Tooth development generates the distinct shapes and positions found in mammalian dentitions.
Dental microwear: Microscopic scratches and pits on tooth surfaces produced during feeding and other contact. Microwear offers evidence about foods processed by particular tooth surfaces.
Homodont dentition: A dentition in which teeth are broadly similar in shape and function. Most mammals divide labor among tooth classes rather than repeating one tooth form.
Canine tooth: A usually pointed tooth between the incisors and cheek teeth. Canines form a distinct class whose size and shape vary among mammals.
Odontogenesis: The formation of teeth through coordinated growth, tissue differentiation, and mineralization. Odontogenesis turns early tooth germs into enamel-, dentin-, and pulp-containing teeth.
Dental calculus: Mineralized dental plaque deposited on teeth during life. Calculus can retain microscopic and chemical evidence of diet and oral biology.
Polyphyodont: Having multiple successive generations of teeth throughout life. Many nonmammalian vertebrates continually replace teeth, unlike most mammals.
Premolar: A cheek tooth behind the canine and in front of the molars. Premolars bridge the front teeth and molars, often combining cutting and crushing functions.
Dental lamina: An epithelial band in the developing jaw from which tooth buds arise. Tooth positions and successive tooth generations originate along the dental lamina.

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