Pleurodont

Pleurodont is a term used in vertebrate dentition to describe a specific tooth implantation. In pleurodont dentition, the tooth is attached directly to the inner (lingual) surface of the jawbone without a true socket. The crown projects outward, and the root lies against the lingual jawbone; the attachment is along the side of the tooth rather than around a socket. There is no alveolar socket as seen in thecodont dentition. In many species the teeth are continuously replaced, with new teeth developing from the dental lamina on the lingual side and replacing older teeth.

Pleurodont teeth are characteristic of many reptiles, especially lizards (squamates). By contrast, thecodont dentition features teeth set in sockets in mammals and crocodilians, and acrodont dentition features teeth attached to the crest of the jawbone with minimal or no distinct root. Some geckos, chameleons, and other lizards show diverse patterns, including pleurodont and acrodont arrangements, reflecting evolutionary variation within squamates.

The presence and arrangement of pleurodont teeth are used in comparative anatomy and paleontology to infer phylogenetic relationships among reptiles and to distinguish certain extinct groups. While not exclusive to any single lineage, the pleurodont condition is a useful diagnostic character in studies of dentition evolution and skull morphology.