What counts as a missing tooth in German dental insurance?
In short
In German supplementary dental insurance, a missing tooth usually means one that is no longer there and has not yet been replaced by a bridge, implant or denture. Wisdom teeth usually do not count. Good policies often accept up to three missing teeth, but pay nothing for exactly those gaps, or only for an extra premium.
What closing a gap costs in Germany when it already existed at the start and is therefore usually paid privately.
Example
Typical range
Single tooth implant with crown
about EUR 1,400 to 3,500
Public insurance fixed subsidy for a gap, depending on bonus booklet
60 to 75 percent of the standard care
First year limit, example scale
EUR 1,000, in the fourth year EUR 4,000
Prices from published cost overviews and policy examples, as of October 2026.
Whether and at what surcharge a gap can be insured is set by each policy.
Worked example
Aged 38, one molar missing, wisdom teeth removed
The application asks for missing teeth excluding wisdom teeth. The policy accepts up to three missing teeth and excludes them.
Missing teeth per application
1
Implant for this gap
not covered, about EUR 1,400 to 3,500 privately
Crown on another tooth after three years
covered according to policy and scale
Wisdom teeth
not counted
The policy pays off for the other 27 teeth, not for the existing gap.
What a missing tooth means in the application
The application asks how many teeth are missing. This means teeth that are no longer there and not yet replaced by dentures. A gap closed with a bridge or implant usually does not count as missing in that question, but is normally recorded in a separate question on existing dentures.
Most policies do not count wisdom teeth if they never formed or were properly removed. The exact rule is in the application text. Read the question word for word and count according to it.
Special cases to look at closely
Permanent teeth that never formed, baby teeth that were never replaced, or a gap closed by braces are treated differently by different applications. If in doubt, state such cases and ask the insurer to confirm in writing how it classifies them.
A removable denture is a replacement. Still ask whether your policy treats teeth replaced only by a denture as missing or as replaced. That decides whether a later implant at that spot is covered.
Situation
Usually counts as missing tooth?
Tooth pulled, gap open
yes
Gap closed with bridge or implant
no, but state the replacement
Wisdom tooth never formed or removed
no
Permanent tooth never formed
depends on the question
Gap closed by braces
depends on the question
Tooth replaced by removable denture
depends on the policy
What happens to missing teeth when you sign up
Policies differ. Some do not accept anyone with gaps. Many good policies accept one to three missing teeth, a few four or five. For the gaps that exist at the start, they usually pay nothing, or only for a premium surcharge.
All other teeth are fully covered. Someone with two gaps but 26 healthy teeth is not out of luck: the healthy teeth are the bigger risk for the coming decades.
Honest answers pay off
Under section 19 of the Insurance Contract Act (VVG) you must answer the insurer's written questions truthfully. If you hide a gap, the insurer can, depending on fault, withdraw from the contract, terminate it or adjust it. You may then lose cover for all your teeth.
Ask your dentist for your dental status before applying. It shows which teeth are missing and which are replaced. With that list you answer safely.
When a policy brings little despite the gap
If you want to close the existing gap now, a new policy will not help, because exactly that tooth is excluded or already advised. Compare treatment plans from several practices and use your bonus booklet (Bonusheft) instead.
A policy then makes sense for the future of your other teeth. Weigh the premiums over a few years against what is realistically ahead for them.
Step by step
Ask your dentist for your dental status.
Read the application question on missing teeth word for word.
Only count wisdom teeth if the application asks for them.
State special cases such as teeth that never formed.
Compare policies that accept your number of missing teeth.
Checklist
Number of missing teeth according to the application wording
Existing dentures fully stated
Surcharge or exclusion for gaps known
Starting limits of the first years checked
Written confirmation for special cases
Common mistakes
Leaving out a gap because it does not bother you
Counting wisdom teeth and getting rejected
Taking out a policy to close the existing gap
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Do wisdom teeth count as missing teeth?
Usually not if they never formed or were properly removed.
The wording of the application decides.
Does a tooth with a bridge count as missing?
Usually not, the gap is replaced.
You must state the bridge as existing dentures.
Can I get supplementary dental insurance with missing teeth?
Yes, many policies accept one to three.
For those gaps they usually pay nothing or charge a surcharge.
What if I do not mention a gap?
The insurer can withdraw or adjust the contract under section 19 VVG.
You risk cover for all teeth.
Will a missing tooth be covered after some years?
That depends on the policy.
Read whether the exclusion is permanent or ends after a period.
