curve of Spee /shpā, spē/ [Ferdinand Graf von Spee, German embryologist, 1855–1937] , the anatomical curvature of the occlusal alignment of the teeth. It begins at the tip of the lower canine, follows the buccal cusps of the natural premolars and molars, and continues to the anterior border of the mandibular ramus. It is a useful landmark for arrangement of dental images or radiographs. Compare compensating curve.
