Deciduous teeth important for the development of the child's speech, for the child's smile and play a role in chewing of food, although children who have had their primary teeth removed (usually as a result of Dental caries) can still eat and chew to a certain extent. In almost all European languages the primary teeth are called "baby teeth" or "milk teeth". In the United States and Canada, the term "baby teeth" is common. In some Asian countries they are referred to as "fall teeth" since they will eventually fall out. Various cultures have customs relating to the loss of deciduous teeth.
Dentition on the skin of basal Gnathostomes (i.e. Chondrichtyans). Since the origin of teeth some 450mya, the vertebrate dentition has diversified within the reptiles, amphibians, and fish: however most of these groups continue to possess a long row of pointed or sharp-sided, undifferentiated teeth ("homodont") that are completely replaceable. The mammalian pattern is significantly different. The teeth in the upper and lower jaws in mammals have evolved a close-fitting relationship such that they operate together as a unit. "They "occlude", that is, the chewing surfaces of the teeth are so constructed that the upper and lower teeth are able to fit