überdecken

Überdecken is a German verb meaning to cover over, to overlay, or to hide something from view. The noun form Überdeckung refers to the act or result of covering. In everyday language it can describe physical coverings, such as a cloth over a surface, or metaphorical coverings, such as data concealed behind a barrier. In technical contexts the word gains more specific senses that depend on the field of study or practice. In mathematics and related disciplines, Überdeckung is used to denote a covering of a space: a family of sets whose union contains the space. In design, architecture, and measurement the term retains the general sense of overlaying one element with another.

In dentistry and orthodontics the term Überdeckung describes the vertical overlap of the upper incisors over the lower incisors, i.e., the overbite. The degree of Überdeckung is assessed in millimeters or as a percentage and influences occlusion, esthetics, and wear patterns. A pronounced Überdeckung, often called a deep bite, can cause anterior interference and may require orthodontic or restorative treatment to adjust the bite and improve jaw function.

In topology, a Überdeckung (covering) is a collection of subsets whose union contains the entire space. Open coverings, consisting of open sets, are central to concepts such as compactness and the Lebesgue number. The term also appears in set theory and geometry in a broader sense of overlaying structures, not limited to any single domain.

Outside technical uses, the verb can simply mean to cover or overlay a surface with material or to conceal information. The precise meaning of Überdecken depends on the domain and context.