The term malocclusion indicates an improper bite relationship between upper and lower arch teeth.
In some cases, the misalignment is due to a positional or size discrepancy between the maxilla and mandible and in others to the size or position of teeth within the arches.
When the maxilla and mandible are mismatched, the condition is called “skeletal malocclusion,” but when it is due to tooth size and position problems, the condition is called “dentoalveolar malocclusion.”
