What does adontia refer to?

Adontia is a condition characterized by the absence of teeth. Specifically, it refers to individuals who are congenitally born without teeth, indicating that the condition is present from birth. This can involve the complete absence of all teeth, known as complete adontia, or it can refer to the absence of specific teeth, known as partial adontia.

In contrast, the other options describe different dental issues. The failure of teeth to erupt relates to situations where teeth are present but do not emerge through the gums, which can be due to various factors such as genetic conditions or physical obstructions. Excessive growth of teeth would describe hyperdontia, which is the presence of extra teeth beyond the normal count. Malformation of teeth pertains to conditions such as microdontia or macrodontia, where the size or shape of the teeth is not typical. Each of these describes distinct dental anomalies that do not align with the definition of adontia.