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deciduous tooth
noun
: a temporary tooth of a young mammal that in human dentition includes four incisors, two canines, and four molars in each jaw : baby tooth, milk tooth
Occasionally, cats are born with duplicate or missing teeth, but the most common developmental problem is retained deciduous teeth …—Drew Weigner
Both sisters had severe dental caries as young children that necessitated the extraction of all deciduous teeth.—Christine M. Laine et al.
Examples of deciduous tooth in a Sentence
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Small and toy breeds, such as Yorkshires, poodles, Maltese, and Pomeranians, commonly have persistent deciduous teeth.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1755, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near deciduous tooth
Cite this Entry
“Deciduous tooth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deciduous%20tooth. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
deciduous tooth
nounMedical Definition
deciduous tooth
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