How is the dental arch commonly divided?

The dental arch is commonly divided into sextants. This division is based on the layout and arrangement of the teeth in the mouth. In a typical adult dental arch, there are six sextants: three in the maxillary arch (upper) and three in the mandibular arch (lower). Each sextant typically includes two incisors, one canine, two premolars, and three molars, providing a comprehensive view of the teeth in a specific area of the mouth.

This classification is particularly useful in dentistry for assessing oral health, planning treatments, and conducting examinations. It allows dental professionals to communicate more effectively about specific sections of the dental arch during procedures or discussions about dental care.

The other terms, while related to dental anatomy or divisions, do not reflect the standard division of the dental arch. For example, creating 'quads' would imply a division into four parts, which does not correlate with the actual layout of the teeth in the mouth. 'Sections' might be too vague, and 'segments' does not specifically correspond to the division commonly acknowledged in dentistry. Therefore, sextants remains the most accurate term for this context.