Anatomical Abnormality
malocclusion Audio
mal·oc·clu·sion [ mal-uh-kloo-zhuhn ]
Subclass of:
Tooth Diseases
Etymology:
Latin malus = bad or faulty + ob (oc-) = against + claudere = to close
Definitions related to malocclusion:
  • An inherited or acquired dental abnormality characterized by improper alignment of the teeth.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Malposition and contact of the maxillary and mandibular teeth which interferes with efficiency during mastication.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Such malposition and contact of the maxillary and mandibular teeth as to interfere with the highest efficiency during the excursive movements of the jaw that are essential for mastication. (Jablonski, Illustrated Dictionary of Dentistry, 1982)
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • (dental malocclusion) Dental malocclusion refers to an abnormality of the occlusion, or alignment, of the teeth and the way the upper and lower teeth fit together, resulting in overcrowding of teeth or in abnormal bite patterns.
    Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO)
    The Human Phenotype Ontology Project, 2025
  • Malocclusion is abnormal contact between the maxillary and mandibular teeth. Normally, each dental arch consists of teeth in side-by-side contact, forming a smooth curve, with the maxillary anterior teeth overlying the upper third of the mandibular anterior teeth. The buccal (outer) cusps of the maxillary posterior teeth are external to...
    Merck Manuals
    Merck & Co., Inc., 2025
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