What is "malocclusion"

1864, from mal- + occlusion.

n. (context dentistry English) A misalignment of the upper and lower sets of teeth

n. (dentistry) a condition in which the opposing teeth do not mesh normally

A malocclusion is a misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two dental arches when they approach each other as the jaws close. The term was coined by Edward Angle, the "father of modern orthodontics", as a derivative of occlusion, which refers to the manner in which opposing teeth meet (mal- + occlusion = "incorrect occlusion").