1.1 Definition and presentation

Dental prostheses are used to rehabilitate the oral functions of edentulous people by replacing natural teeth with artificially created elements.

The denture market is made up of the companies that produce them and the operators that distribute them to the end customer. There are two main classifications of dentures: fixed or removable, partial or full. A key feature of these products is that they are considered as 'premium' products. For this reason, access to this type of product is strongly correlated to the economic availability of consumers.

The global denture market was worth approximately $6.09 billion in 2018 and was expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.0%, allowing the market to peak at over $9.71 billion by 2026. These growth prospects of the global market are closely related to the increase in the geriatric population, with a consequent growth in dental diseases. In terms of the geographical distribution of the global market, the primacy belongs to Europe with a value of €2.48 billion in 2018, followed by the United States.

The Italian market also presents a very positive picture at present, with excellent growth prospects. The strength of the sector is undoubtedly the huge investments made in research and development that allow Italian companies to maintain a high level of competitiveness thanks to new technologies and innovation. Among the most popular innovations are 3D Printing and CAD/CAMD technologies. The positive impact of this trend of innovation, which has become widespread in recent years, can certainly be seen in the strong increase in the number of exports of Italian-made dental prostheses accompanied by a decrease in imports.

Despite this, the number of laboratories active in the production of dental prostheses has remained relatively stable over the years. Sweden&Martina, an Italian company founded in 1976, is one of the most important manufacturers active in this market on a global level.

1.2 Global Market Analysis

The dental prosthesis global market was estimated at $*.** billion in ****, and it is expected to reach a value of $*.** billion by ****, growing at a CAGR of *.*% during the period under consideration [***]. The graph below shows the forecasted evolution of the market size for the period from **** to ****.

Dental Prothesis Market - ...

1.3 The Italian Market

In order to understand the main trends and drivers of the Italian market for dental prosthesis, it is necessary to consider the evolution of the production value registered in the last * years, which can be assessed thanks to the graph below.

The Italian Dental Prothesis Market - Production Value Italy, ****-****, ...

1.4 Import and Export Analysis

Considering the Italian market for dental prosthesis, the analysis of importations and exportations can be performed by considering the following categories of products:

Code ******: Dental fitting - Artificial teeth; Code ******: Dental fitting - Other than artificial teeth.

The graph below shows the evolution in the value of importations and exportations registered ...

1.5 Covid-19 Impact

The two-year Covid pandemic has brought Italian dentists to their knees. The impact on the business has been enormous: it can be estimated a **% reduction in office visits. The reasons behind such a figure are mainly related to the fear of contagion, the problem of quarantines and also, in many cases, ...

2.1 Demand Overview

Considering the demand of dental prostheses, it is worth analysing the trend registered in the average monthly expenditure that Italian families sustain for dental care. In particular, according to Code Ecoicop ***** - Dental care services, the graph below shows the trend in the figure described registered in the last five ...

2.2 Demand Drivers

As explained in the introductory section to the global market for dental prostheses, it is possible to highlight three main drivers for the demand of the products supplied in this sector: the increasing average income of individuals, the increase in the number of dental caries cases, and the acceleration of the ...

2.3 Geographical Distribution of Demand

According to Ecoicop ***** - Dental care services, it is possible to chart a map showing the average expenditure that Italian families sustain in the different macro regions. This can be considered as a representation of the distribution of the demand for such services, given that regions where people are willing to ...

3.1 Structure and Dynamics of the Market

In order to assess the structure as well as the dynamics of the Italian market for dental prosthesis, it is necessary to refer to ATECO Code **.**.* - Fabrication of dentures (***).The graph below shows the evolution in the number of entities operating in the sector in the period from **** to ****.

The ...

3.2 Value Chain

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Analysing the value chain of the Italian dental prosthesis market, it is possible to split the production into three categories:

Direct dental restorations, which are those that can be entirely fabricated and completed inside the mouth, and do not require the use of a dental laboratory; Indirect dental restorations, which are ...

4.1 Typology of the Offer

In order to analyse the whole range of products supplied by the Italian market for dental prosthesis, it is convenient to consider the following distinction:

Removable dentures, which are supported by the remaining teeth and can be removed at any time; Temporary dentures, usually utilized while waiting for the results of ...

4.2 Pricing

According to Ecoicop ***** - Dental services, the graph below shows the trend registered in the Italian consumer price index during the last * years.

The Italian Dental Prosthesis Market - CPI Italy, ****-****, in Base Index **** = ***. Source: ****

The graph above shows that the consumer price index for dental services - of which ...

4.3 New Trends in the Offer

Dealing with the Italian sector of dental prosthesis, it is possible to summarize the new trends emerging from the supply side in two broad categories: on one hand, the adoption of CAD/CAM techniques to design and implement dental solutions for patients. On the other hand, the introduction of innovative sorts ...

5.1 Regulatory Framework

It is the "Biomedical and Diagnostic Technologies" technical committee that has been working on the creation of four new standards in the dental field. Dictated by the needs of the market and the stakeholders of the dental sector (***), the working group "Dental Devices" has produced the following documents:

UNI EN ISO ...