Dental X-Ray Equipment Market Surges Globally to USD 2.1 billion in 2012 and Forecasts Additional Expansion

The global market for dental X-ray equipment increased to more than USD 2.14 billion in 2012 as a consequence of digitalization, and is set to climb by 14% to hit USD 2.44 billion in 2017, according to recent market research.

Growth in dental X-ray equipment will be driven by the increased adoption of cone beam computed tomography (CB-CT) and the shift from analog intraoral film to digital, according to a new market report from HIS, Inc. (Englewood, CO, USA), an international market research company.

“Demand for dental X-ray equipment is being driven by advanced uses in mature markets such as prosthetics, implants, and orthodontics. These dental specialties require a clearer view of the patient’s physiology, driving demand for cone beam CT,” said Sarah Jones, an analyst for medical electronics at IHS. “Shipments of cone beam CT equipment revenue accounted for an estimated 27% of annual dental X-ray equipment shipments in 2012. That total is predicted to rise to more than 30% in 2017.”

Developments in computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) is also driving demand for cone beam CT. CAD/CAM is a technology that is increasing in acceptance in the dental application, to help in making of crowns, veneers, dentures and full-mouth reconstructions. CAD/CAM systems are used to optimize treatment accuracy, provide implants at a much lower cost, and save time. Combined use of cone beam CT and CAD/CAM technology is increasing, with dental manufacturers now developing software to connect cone beam CT images to CAD/CAM software.

Intraoral X-ray unit shipments are also set to surge, with more dentists opting to use digital X-ray sensors rather than traditional analog film. Developed markets, such as North America and Western Europe, are fueling the changeover to digital sensors. In the meantime, in emerging markets, intraoral units are predicted to increase as the regions become more aware of the benefits of dental X-ray, with intraoral X-ray the first priority in the majority of cases.

The continued digitalization of intraoral X-rays will spur unit shipment growth in both emerging and well-established markets. However, it will be in the well-established markets where new installations being bought for the first time in dental practices and upgrades from analog to digital will take place.

Overall, CAD/CAM programs will become more prevalent in the dental market, with more cone beam CT systems linking to this technology. Dental practices, for their part, will focus on expanding their services into orthodontics, implantology, and prosthetics. The need for more advanced imaging will also drive growth within the cone beam CT market.

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