Comparative dental anatomy

The dentition in human is different in many ways from other vertebrates in form and function. There are four classes of tooth forms: Single cone (haplodont) Three cusps in line (triconodont) Three cusps in a triangle (tritubercular molar) Four cusps in a quadrangle (quadritubercular molar)

The haplodont class:

Is the simplest form of tooth (the single cone), this type of dentition includes many teeth in both jaws where jaw movements are limited to simple open and close (hinge) movements and no occlusion of teeth occurs in this class, like in alligator

The triconodont class:

Exhibits three cusps in line in posterior teeth the largest cusp is centered with a smaller cusp located anteriorly and another posteriorly. Purely triconodont dentitions are not seen, although certain breeds of dogs and other carnivores have teeth reflecting the triconodont form.

Tritubercular class:

The three-cusp arrangement of the tritubercular molar class and the more efficient three-cornered tritubercular molar arrangement are both consistent with bypassing each other more or less when the jaw is opened or closed. (dogs and other animals)

Quadritubercular class:

It reflects an occlusal contact relationship between the teeth of the upper and lower jaws. Animals that have dentitions similar to that of humans are anthropoid apes.

Occlusion: when the teeth in the upper jaw come to contact with teeth in the lower jaw this is called occlusion (the way the teeth meet and function) Malocclusion: any deviation from normal occlusion is said to be a malocclusion.

The Key to occlusion

When the mesiolingual cusp of the maxillary 1st molar occluded in the Buccal Groove of the mandibular 1st molar this is named the key to occlusion by Angle.

Angles classification of malocclusion