Summary: 
Richard Owen's treatise "Odontography" focuses on the comparative anatomy of teeth, their physiological relationships, development, and microscopic structure in vertebrate animals. Owen dedicates his work to Thomas Bell, highlighting the similarity of pathological phenomena in human teeth with higher vertebrates, challenging conventional views. The author stresses the importance of fossil teeth in understanding the evolutionary history and affinities of species, advocating for the cautious use of microscopy for precise identification and classification. Owen recognizes contributions from various scientific colleagues, museums, and institutions that facilitated his research on teeth across different vertebrate groups, providing detailed observations and illustrations. The text highlights diverse dental structures in animals like Ophidians, Saurians, and Mammals, emphasizing unique dental features in different species. Owen's work underscores how teeth serve not only as functional structures for food processing but also as essential characters for understanding species classification and evolutionary relationships.