The dental midline is the

midsagittal Whether in reference to the anatomy of the human or other members of the Bilateria, the median plane, also called the midsagittal plane and related terms, is used to describe the sagittal plane as it bisects the body vertically through the midline ...

line of maxillary and mandibular dental arches possessing

teeth A tooth (: teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tear ...

of ideal size, shape, and position, when situated in maximum intercuspation. Each arch also possesses its own midline, which can be used to refer to the location of contact between the

mesial This is a list of definitions of commonly used terms of location and direction in dentistry. This set of terms provides orientation within the oral cavity, much as anatomical terms of location provide orientation throughout the body. Terms ...

surfaces of the central incisors. Thus, if an individual's mandibular teeth are shifted over to the left in a mesial-distal dimension, by 2 mm, for example, that individual's midline would be said to be deviated 2 mm to the left.

References

* Ash, Major M.; Nelson, Stanley. WHEELER'S DENTAL ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY AND OCCLUSION, 8th edition. Dental anatomy Restorative dentistry {{dentistry-stub