Dental Products & Materials

Dental Products & Materials

US demand to exceed $14 billion in 2019
Sales of dental products and materials in the US are forecast to exceed $14 billion in 2019. Advances will be fueled by further growth in the 55-and-older popu-lation segment, as this is the population most likely to require advanced professional dental care. Sales of repair and restorative products (e.g., implants, den-tures, bridges, and crowns) and denture products (e.g., adhesives, cleaners, and cushions), which are largely used with older patients, will see particularly strong growth. Continuing improvement in the economy and in discretionary spending will aid demand for items not covered by insurance. Cosmetic dentistry products such as veneers and whitening products, as well as related products that promise a whiter or straighter smile, including whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes and aesthetic orthodontia (e.g., lingual braces, ceramic brackets, and clear plastic aligners), will be key beneficiaries.

Repair, restorative products to remain largest segment among professional products
In 2014, professional dental products accounted for 70 percent of total dental product demand. Between 2009 and 2014, cosmetic products posted the most rapid gains, benefiting from elevated sales of veneers and steady demand for professional whitening services from a low 2009 base. Going forward, repair and restorative products will remain the largest professional dental product category, with over two-thirds of demand. Advances in this segment will continue to be driven by demand for implants, which are increasingly offered as a durable, long-term alternative means of securing crowns, bridges, and dentures. Increasing insurance coverage of implants will further benefit this category in the future. In particular, mini implants have become a popular alternative to standard implants due to their lesser invasiveness, quicker healing time, and lower cost. Faster gains in repair and restorative products will be constrained by slower growth in filling demand, due to a decreased incidence of cavities as a result of widespread fluoridation of public water reserves and a high penetration rate for toothpaste.

Toothpastes, mouthwashes, dental floss to offer growth in consumer segment
Over the 2009-2014 period, US demand for consumer dental products outpaced advances in professional products. Although many consumers traded down to less expensive and more basic home care products initially, the lingering recessionary mindset emphasized at-home oral care in order to minimize more expensive in-office procedures and led to greater use of higher-value specialty toothpastes, mouth rinses, and whitening products.

Through 2019, growth in the smaller consumer dental products market will decelerate from the above average gains of the 2009-2014 period which represented a recovery from a low 2009 base. Products that promise multiple benefits, such as toothpaste and mouthwashes with tartar control and whitening, aided gains, as did the increasing introduction of at-home whitening products. Through 2019, demand will continue to be spurred by rising sales of value-added products such as toothpastes with all-natural formulations or an ability to treat dental hypersensitivity. Incomplete market penetration for complementary products, including mouthwash and dental floss, will also offer opportunities for growth. Product innovations that will stimulate ongoing gains include unique toothpaste flavors, multipurpose products, and items that are marketed to children.