The natural teeth, as considered collectively, in the dental arch; may be deciduous, permanent, or mixed. [L. dentitio, teething]
- artificial d. SYN: denture (1).
- first d. SYN: deciduous tooth.
- natural d. d..
- retarded d. d. in which growth phenomena such as calcification, elongation, and eruption occur later than in the average range of normal variation as a result of some systemic metabolic dysfunction ( e.g., hypothyroidism).
- secondary d. SYN: permanent tooth.
- succedaneous d. SYN: permanent tooth.
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den·ti·tion den-'tish-ən n
1) the development and cutting of teeth
2) the character of a set of teeth esp. with regard to their number, kind, and arrangement
3) TEETH
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n.
the arrangement of teeth in the mouth. The primary dentition comprises the teeth of young children. It consists of 20 teeth, made up of incisors, canines, and molars only. The lower incisor erupts first at about 6 months of age, and all the primary teeth have usually erupted by the age of 2½ years. The lower incisors are shed first at about 7 years of age, and from this time until about 13 years old both primary and permanent teeth are present; i.e. there is a mixed dentition. The permanent dentition consists of up to 32 teeth, made up of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. The first tooth to erupt is the first molar (at the age of 6) and most have appeared by the age of 14 years, although the third molars may not erupt until the age of 18-21 years.
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den·ti·tion (den-tishґən) [L. dentitio] the teeth in the dental arch; ordinarily used to designate the natural teeth in position in their alveoli.Medical dictionary. 2011.