Why Are Intraoral Scanner Sales Rising Fastest in Asia-Pacific?

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), 1.3 billion people were suffering from dental diseases in 2017. Moreover, the WHO says that more than 530 million children around the world have dental caries in their primary teeth. This is attributed to ill dental health, in part due to the low awareness on dental hygiene in developing countries, and excessive consumption of sugary foods. Colorful candies with quirky names and unique flavor combinations are a rage among children, which is a key reason behind the high prevalence of dental diseases in the pediatric population.

Among the most-common conditions treated with the help of intraoral scanners is edentulism. The word simply refers to being partially or fully toothless. In such patients, intraoral scanners are used to obtain a complete 3D view of the insides of the mouth, for the dentist to create a denture with an exact fit. In this regard, the growing geriatric population is a key reason behind the booming dentistry practice since old age is associated with the loss of teeth. Hence, with the United Nations (UN) forecasting the population in the age group of 65 and above to increase from 727 million in 2020 to 1.5 billion by 2050, the demand for intraoral scanners will rise.

The type segment of the intraoral scanners market is bifurcated into powder-based and powder-free, of which the powder-free bifurcation has held the larger share in the years gone by. The larger share of this bifurcation is attributed to the numerous advantages of powder-free intraoral scanners over powder-based ones. These include the elimination of the need for a powder, which, coupled with their more-advanced technology, results in images with a better quality. Further, these variants witness higher patient compliance, which makes them popular among dentists.

Both these types of intraoral scanners are used in academic institutes, hospitals, dental laboratories, and dental clinics. Among these, dental clinics account for the highest usage of these systems as these places are preferred by people with dental issues. Dental clinics only diagnose and treat dental diseases, and the services offered by them are also cheaper than those offered at hospitals. Moreover, with the rising number of people with dental issues, an increasing number of dentists are setting up their own clinics.

Over the coming years, the demand for these systems will increase the fastest in Asia-Pacific (APAC). This is attributed to its large population, rising number of pediatric and older people, and surging awareness on oral hygiene. Moreover, regional countries, especially India and Thailand, are popular medical tourism destinations owing to the cheaper healthcare services here than in North America and Europe. This provides intraoral scanner manufacturers an opportunity to market their products here and target an untapped customer base.

Hence, the sale of intraoral scanners will rise with the soaring prevalence of dental diseases.

Source: P&S Intelligence