Dental X-Ray Market - Going (S)miles

First impression is the last impression, and with regards to physical appearance, consumers are taking this age-old adage very seriously now. How does it benefit the dental X-ray market?

Oral diseases affect around 3.9 billion people across the globe, and untreated tooth decay affects around 45% of the world’s population. Rising forms of oral diseases such as gingivitis, periodontitis, thrush and cavities are noticeably prevalent among the general public. Gum diseases are painful and hamper overall appearance of any person. Severe periodontal disease, that can potentially result in tooth loss is found in 15-20% of population between 35-44 years. These are some of the facts that will make the global population sit up and take notice, and thus helped the global growth of the dental X-ray market.

Dental X-rays - Types

The increasing awareness on gum diseases and its harmful effects has caused people to take early precautionary measures to maintain their oral health and avoid any future grievances. Dental X-rays are diagnostic equipment that enable dentists to detect the presence of dental anomalies. There are two main types of dental X-rays – intraoral (X-ray film is inside the mouth) and extraoral (X-ray film is outside the mouth). Intraoral X-rays involve the determination of dental health, cavity check and checking status of developing teeth, and are sub-classified into bitewing, occlusal and periapical; while extraoral X-rays search for impacted teeth, along with monitoring development and growth of the jaws, and can be sub-segmented into panoramic and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Intraoral X-ray imaging is the most widely recognized dental X-ray diagnostic method. Intraoral imaging is utilized for an assortment of procedures, such as diagnosing caries & endodontic file location. Extraoral radiography focuses primarily on the jaw and skull. The sensor is placed outside the mouth in the extraoral X-ray systems, which produces an image with a larger field of view, concentrating on the entire jaw or bone. Compared to intraoral radiography, extraoral X-ray imaging lacks detail and is not useful in the detection of dental caries or issues concerning individual teeth.

Global dental X-ray market by application, 2015 (%)

                   

Market growth - No laughing matter

Dental X-rays have seen high demand in the recent years, and the following factors have played a role in this trend:

• There has been a rapid rise in the population suffering from oral diseases, while people are also increasingly growing aware of the importance of healthy teeth for the overall appearance of a person, which is a major factor driving dental X-ray market growth.

• Sophisticated and high-tech equipment are aiding modern medical practice to analyze signs and symptoms and outline the appropriate diagnosis required. This has caused the market to witness healthy growth.

• Furthermore, the demand for technologically advanced diagnostic imaging products is responsible for contributing to the growth of dental x-rays. Since the employment of digital sensors in digital X-ray systems, it has enabled care givers to easily store X-ray images onto imaging software, which can be accessed remotely when required.

• The geriatric as well as the pediatric population is highly vulnerable to oral and dental issues, which has increased the importance of dental x-rays, causing the market to grow.

• Cosmetic dentistry is an associated sector which has seen healthy growth in recent years, with the changing lifestyle as well as higher standard of living encouraging it. This is turn, has increased the market attractiveness for dental x-rays.

• Commercial and educational institutions need to carry out routine oral and dental checkups of the employees and students, which has created huge opportunities for the market.

A major issue that can stunt market growth for dental x-rays is the high cost associated with digital radiography systems.

Digital dental equipment has proved to be a better alternative to films that are used in analog X-ray equipment. Films require developing and careful safekeeping for future access. Most importantly, these digital sensors involve a lower risk of radiation exposure due to the use of flat panel detectors. Apart from the technical advantages, digital X-ray systems save additional labor costs.

Recent launches and developments

Some key players in the dental X-ray market are Carestream Health, Danaher Corporation, LED Medical Diagnostics, Inc., and Planmeca Oy and Sirona Dental Systems, Inc. Developing cost-efficient and technologically advanced X-ray equipment is the key point of focus for the companies operating in this industry.

Some of the developments that have recently taken place in the dental X-ray industry include:

• In October 2019, Dentsply Sirona introduced the Schick AE intraoral sensor, which is expected to provide highly improved image quality, offering minute additional details with high clarity and easing the process of storage and accessibility of captured images and patient data through the use of Sidexis 4 imaging software.

• In September 2019, Carestream Dental announced the CS ScanFlow software, which relates to their intraoral scanning line. According to the company, the product would offer unlimited workflow capacity from a single scan, faster dataset processing and one-click export and touchscreen capabilities.

• In August 2019, LED Medical Diagnostics announced that it would be undergoing a corporate name change to Apteryx Imaging Inc., effective from 3^rd September 2019, in order to reflect the evolution in their digital dental imaging business.

• In June 2019, Danaher Corporation announced that it would be creating a separate dental company called Envista Holdings Corporation, which would be comprised of 3 companies in Danaher's Dental segment: KaVo Kerr, Nobel Biocare Systems and Ormco.

  In-depth report on global dental X-Ray market by Grand View Research:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/dental-x-ray-market