LEC 3: Mammalian Dentition and Jaw Anatomy Vocabulary

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering mammalian jaw musculature, tooth terminology, replacement patterns, crown heights, and dietary molar specializations.

Masseter Muscles

Jaw-closing muscles that attach along the ventral side of the zygomatic arch and extend to the angular process and mandibular fossa, providing power to posterior teeth for grinding or shearing.

Temporalis Muscles

Jaw-closing muscles originating on the lateral side of the braincase that determine jaw-closing power at the front of the mouth, particularly for canines.

Temporal Fossa

The space behind the orbit between the cranium and zygomatic arch; its width serves as a key indicator of temporalis muscle size and jaw-closing power.

Bud

Embryonic tissue that gives rise to a tooth.

Crown

The portion of a tooth exposed above the gumline, covered by a thin layer of hard enamel over dentine.

Root

The portion of a tooth located below the gumline that fits into the alveolus (socket) in the jaw.

Occlusal Surface

The top surface of a tooth that meets with the tooth of the opposing jaw.

Buccal Surface

The side surface of a tooth located adjacent to the cheek.

Lingual Surface

The side surface of a tooth located adjacent to the tongue.

Dentine

The bone-like material making up the primary structural portion of each tooth, located beneath the enamel.

Pulp

The central, living portion of a growing tooth supplied with blood vessels, nerves, and odontoblasts capable of generating new dentine.

Rooted (Elodont)

Teeth in which the root canal openings constrict and close upon maturity, stopping blood supply and halting growth.

Rootless (Anelodont)

Teeth in which the root canal does not constrict or close, allowing continuous growth throughout life.

Homodont Dentition

A condition where all teeth in an animal's mouth resemble each other in shape, such as haplodont single-cusped conical teeth.

Heterodont Dentition

A condition where an animal possesses two or more morphologically distinct kinds or shapes of teeth.

Edentulous

The anatomical state of completely lacking teeth as an adult.

Monophyodont

Having only a single set of teeth throughout an organism's lifetime.

Diphyodont

Having two sequential sets of teeth in a lifetime, where deciduous (milk) teeth are replaced by a permanent set retained for life.

Polyphyodont

Having teeth that are continuously or near-continuously replaced in a row throughout life.

Incisors

The anterior-most chisel-shaped teeth rooted in the premaxillary (upper) and dentary (lower) bones, used primarily for clipping and grasping.

Dental Pad

A tough pad replacing upper incisors in certain herbivores, against which lower incisors cut vegetation.

Scalpriform

Stout, chisel-edged, rootless incisors adapted for sharp cutting or gnawing, found in rodents and lagomorphs.

Procumbent

Incisors that project forward (anteriorly) like forceps, adapted for capturing insects in shrews.

Sanguinivory

A blood-consuming dietary habit, facilitated in vampire bats by sharp first incisors that shave away skin.

Canines

Single-rooted, single-cusped conical teeth located posterior to the incisors, used for piercing, stabbing, holding prey, or social display.

Diastema

A distinct wide gap or space separating the anterior teeth from the cheek teeth.

Premolars

Deciduous cheek teeth located posterior to the canines and anterior to the molars, typically smaller than molars with two roots.

Molars

The most posterior cheek teeth, which belong to a single set (not replaced) and typically have three roots.

Cusps

The distinct raised points or bumps located on the crown of molariform teeth.

Lophs

The elevated ridges connecting cusps on molariform teeth to create abrasive surfaces for grinding.

Brachydont

Low-crowned teeth that do not stick up far above the gum line, typical of softer diets or lower chewing frequencies.

Hypsodont

High-crowned teeth extending significantly above the gum line, characteristic of herbivores consuming abrasive plant materials.

Zalambdodont

Cheek teeth featuring a V-shaped or lambda-shaped occlusal ridge pattern, found in golden moles, tenrecs, and solenodons.

Dilambdodont

Cheek teeth featuring a double V-shaped or double lambda-shaped occlusal ridge pattern, found in true moles, shrews, and insectivorous bats.

Lophodont

Herbivorous cheek teeth where cusps are transformed into elongated cross-ridges or loops (lophs) for grinding.

Loxodont

An extreme washboard-like pattern of lophodont teeth observed in elephants and certain rodents.

Selenodont

Cheek teeth featuring crescent-shaped enamel ridges formed from worn, curved cusps, characteristic of artiodactylids and bovids.

Bunodont

Low-crowned (brachydont) cheek teeth with rounded, blunt cusps adapted for crushing and grinding in omnivores.

Secodont

Sectorial cheek teeth with laterally compressed, sharp, blade-like cutting edges adapted for shearing meat.

Carnassial Teeth

Specialized shearing teeth consisting of the last upper premolar and first lower molar in carnivorous mammals.

Procynosuchus

An early cynodont species from $250$–$260\text{ MYA}$ exhibiting homodont and polyphyodont dentition.

Morganucodon

A genus on the border between Mammaliformes and Crown mammals ($205\text{ MYA}$) exhibiting heterodont and diphyodont dentition.