Zahnbestand

Zahnbestand is a term used in German-speaking dentistry to describe the current set of teeth present in the oral cavity of an individual. It includes erupted permanent teeth, any remaining deciduous teeth, and teeth that are missing, extracted, restored, or unerupted and expected to form part of the future dentition. In clinical practice the Zahnbestand reflects a person’s dentition status and how it may change over time.

In humans, the Zahnbestand is commonly categorized by dentition type: deciduous dentition (Milchgebiss) in early childhood, mixed dentition during the transition phase when both deciduous and permanent teeth are present, and permanent dentition in later childhood and adulthood. A complete permanent dentition typically comprises 32 teeth, although agenesis or prior extractions can reduce this number, and some individuals may be missing third molars.

Assessment and documentation: The Zahnbestand is recorded during dental examinations and charting, noting tooth presence or absence, restorations, caries experience, malformations, and crowding. Radiographs are often used to reveal unerupted or impacted teeth and to anticipate future changes in the dentition.

Applications: Zahnbestand is used in dental epidemiology to describe population oral health, in clinical planning to determine restorative, orthodontic, or implant needs, and in anthropological or paleodontological research as part of dentition development records. In German, Zahnbestand or Zahnstatus describe the present teeth; in English contexts the terms dental status or dentition status are common.