dentition

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The set of teeth that a person or animal has, including their number, kinds and arrangement.

   Grammar: Usually without an article: the animal's dentition shows what it eats.

   Patterns

   • the dentition of something

   The shape of its dentition shows that the fossil animal ate plants.

   Adult human dentition normally includes thirty-two teeth.

   The dentist checked the child's dentition for crowding.

2. 2noununcountablemedical

   The process by which teeth appear and grow through the gums.

   Grammar: Refers to growth in babies and children; often modified: first dentition.

   Patterns

   • first dentition
   • second dentition

   Delayed dentition can be a sign of a nutritional problem.

   The first dentition begins at about six months.

   Pediatric charts show the usual order of dentition.

Word forms

Common combinations

primary dentition

Primary dentition consists of twenty baby teeth.

permanent dentition

Permanent dentition is usually complete by early adulthood.

mixed dentition

Children aged eight often have mixed dentition.

human dentition

Human dentition is suited to a varied diet.

complete dentition

The skull had a complete dentition.

Synonyms and how they differ

teeth

Teeth is the everyday word for the individual objects, while dentition describes the whole set and how it is arranged.

teething

Teething refers to the discomfort of a baby's teeth coming through, whereas dentition can also mean the finished set.

Word family

dental adjective

relating to teeth

dentist noun

a doctor who treats teeth

dentistry noun

the care and treatment of teeth

dentate adjective

having teeth or toothlike edges, used in biology

Commonly confused: dentition or denture?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “dentition”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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