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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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D
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Dentition
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1992-09-04
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Dentition is the type and number of teeth in
a species. Different kinds of teeth have
different functions, for instance a
grass-eating animal will have large molars
for grinding its food, whereas a meat-eater
will need powerful canines for catching and
killing its prey. The teeth that are less
useful may be reduced in size or missing
altogether. Young children have deciduous
dentition, popularly known as "milk teeth",
the first ones erupting at about six months
of age. Mixed dentition is present from the
ages of about six (when the first milk teeth
are shed) to about 12. Permanent dentition
(up to 32 teeth) is usually complete by the
mid-teens, although the third molars (wisdom
teeth) may not appear until around the age of
21 and these are nearly allways removed by a
dentist.
Subject by: Darren Wells