Malocclusion
misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two dental arches as the jaws close
In orthodontics, a malocclusion is a misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth of the upper and lower dental arches when they approach each other as the jaws close. The English-language term dates from 1864; Edward Angle (1855 – 1930), the "father of modern orthodontics," popularised it. The word derives from mal- 'incorrect' and occlusion 'the manner in which opposing teeth meet'.
The malocclusion classification is based on the relationship of the mesiobuccal cusp of the maxillary first molar and the buccal groove of the mandibular first molar. If this molar relationship exists, then the teeth can align into normal occlusion. According to Angle, malocclusion is any deviation of the occlusion from the ideal.
However, assessment for malocclusion should also take into account aesthetics and the impact on functionality. If these aspects are acceptable to the patient despite meeting the formal definition of malocclusion, then treatment may not be necessary. It is estimated that nearly 30% of the population has malocclusions that are categorised as severe and definitely benefit from orthodontic treatment.
Causes
The aetiology of malocclusion is somewhat contentious; however, simply put, it is multifactorial, with influences being both genetic and environmental.
The public source identifies “Malocclusion” as misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two dental arches as the jaws close. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Malocclusion, misalignment and incorrect.
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Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1320428. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1864, 1855 and 1930.
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This entry incorporates text from “Malocclusion” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.