Malocclusion

In orthodontics, a malocclusion is a misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth of the upper and lower dental arches when the jaws close. The English term dates from 1864 and was popularized by Edward Angle, called the father of modern orthodontics. The word combines mal-, meaning incorrect, with occlusion, the manner in which opposing teeth meet. Classification rests on the relationship of the mesiobuccal cusp of the maxillary first molar to the buccal groove of the mandibular first molar, and assessment should also weigh aesthetics and function. About 30 percent of the population is estimated to have malocclusions classed as severe that would clearly benefit from orthodontic treatment.