Key Terms
When learning about the overview of dentitions, it is essential to first look at the terminology to ensure that you understand everything clearly.
Term |
Definition |
| Angle’s Classification | System developed by Dr. Edward H. Angle to describe and classify occlusion and malocclusion |
| Anterior | Toward the front |
| Apical Third | Division of the root nearest the tip of the root |
| Buccal Surface | Tooth surface closest to the inner cheek |
| Buccolingual | Division lengthwise division of the crown in a labial or buccolingual direction, consisting of the facial or buccal/labial third, middle third, and lingual third |
| Centric Occlusion | Maximum contact between the occluding surfaces of the maxillary and |
| Cervical Third | Division of the root nearest the neck of the tooth |
| Concave | Curved inward |
| Contact Area | Area of the mesial or distal surface of a tooth that touches the adjacent tooth in the same arch |
| Convex | Curved outward |
| Curve of Spee | Curvature formed by the maxillary and mandibular arches in occlusion |
| Curve of Wilson | Cross-arch curvature of the occlusal plane |
| Deciduous | Pertaining to first dentition of 20 teeth; often called “baby teeth” or primary teeth |
| Dentition | Natural teeth in the dental arch |
| Distal Surface | Surface of tooth distant from the midline |
| Distoclusion | Class II malocclusion in which the mesiobuccal cusp of the maxillary first molar occludes (by more than the width of a premolar) mesial to the mesiobuccal groove of the mandibular first molar |
| Embrasure | Triangular space in a gingival direction between the proximal surfaces of two adjoining teeth in contact |
| Facial Surface | Tooth surface closest to the face. Facial surfaces closest to the lips are called labial surfaces, and facial surfaces closest to the inner cheek are called buccal surfaces; therefore the term facial can be substituted for labial and buccal, and vice versa |
| Functional Occlusion | Contact of the teeth during biting and chewing movements |
| Incisal Surface | Chewing surface of anterior teeth |
| Interproximal | Space area between adjacent tooth surfaces |
| Labial Surface | Facial surface closest to the lips |
| Labioversion | Inclination of the teeth to extend facially beyond the normal overlap of the incisal edge of the maxillary incisors over the mandibular incisors |
| Line Angle | Junction of two tooth surface walls |
| Lingual Surface | Surface of mandibular and maxillary teeth closest to the tongue; also called palatal surface |
| Linguoversion | Position in which the maxillary incisors are behind the mandibular incisors |
| Malocclusion | Occlusion that is deviated from a class I normal occlusion |
| Mandibular Arch | Lower jaw |
| Masticatory | Surface chewing surface of the teeth |
| Maxillary Arch | Upper jaw |
| Mesial Surface | Surface of the tooth toward the midline |
| Mesioclusion | Term used for class III malocclusion |
| Mesiodistal Division | Lengthwise division of the crown in a mesiodistal (front-to-back) direction, consisting of the mesial third, middle third, and distal third |
| Middle Third Division | Of the root in the middle |
| Mixed Dentition | Mixture of permanent teeth and primary teeth that occurs until all primary teeth have been lost, usually between ages 6 and 12 |
| Nasmyth’s Membrane | Residue from epithelial tissue on the crowns of newly erupted teeth that may become extrinsically stained |
| Neutroclusion | Ideal mesiodistal relationship between the jaws and the dental arches |
| Occlusal Surface | Chewing surface of posterior teeth |
| Occlusion | Natural contact of the maxillary and mandibular teeth in all positions |
| Occlusocervical Division | Crosswise division of the crown that is parallel to the occlusal or incisal surface, consisting of the occlusal third, middle third, and cervical third |
| Palatal Surface | Lingual surface of maxillary teeth |
| Permanent Dentition | Set of 32 secondary teeth |
| Point Angle | Angle formed by the junction of three surfaces |
| Posterior | Toward the back |
| Primary Dentition | First set of 20 primary teeth |
| Proximal Surfaces | Surfaces next to each other when teeth are adjacent in the arch |
| Quadrant | One quarter of the dentition |
| Sextant | One sixth of the dentition |
| Succedaneous | Permanent teeth that replace primary teeth |
