today EAO Madrid October 05, 2017

Shifting consumer preferences and positive uptake of CAD/CAM technology Artur Kim and Dr Kamran Zamanian, iData Research, discuss current developments in the European dental implant market business (cid:132) Europe has some of the most highly penetrated markets for dental implants in the world, including Italy, Germany and Spain, but it also contains regions with considerably under-developed markets, such as France and the UK.1, 2 A shift in con- sumer preferences will be a key char- acteristic of the European market in the future, in both the dental implant fixture market and final abutment market. Although the shifts will con- trast one another, they will both have a significant impact on the market in terms of overall pricing, the competi- tive landscape and technological in- novation. Historically, premium dental im- plant companies have dominated in Europe, but have recently faced in- creased competition from the value and discount brands. A growing prev- alence of local manufacturers and an increasingly cost-sensitive consumer demographic will contribute to over- all price depreciation and the declin- ing presence of premium implants in the future.1 Region-specific growth of the pre- mium segment is highly reliant on the prevalence of domestic, lower cost dental implant brands. In coun- tries such as Italy, Germany and Spain, there is a plethora of local value and discount dental implant companies that have emerged to ca- ter to the growing cost sensitivity ex- pressed by dentists. Within these re- gions, the premium segment of the market has lost significant market share and is exhibiting far lower growth relative to the past. It is ex- pected that this trend will continue to spread throughout Europe, as consumer preferences shift towards lower cost products. Several competi- strengthen its product port folio and maintain a competitive position in both the premium and value seg- ments.3 Straumann has also invested in a number of value and discount brands that cater to the European market, including Biodenta, Meden- tika, MegaGen and Anthogyr. These investments are supplemented by Instradent, Straumann’s business platform established in 2014, which currently provides distribution for Neodent and Medentika through an online store and worldwide net- work.3 In June 2016, Dentsply Sirona continued its expansion by announc- ing a definitive agreement to acquire MIS Implants Technologies, an Israel- based company that has a leading po- sition in the value implant segment.4 Large conglomerates too have taken note of the changing structure of the market, with Henry Schein making strategic investments in BioHorizons and CAMLOG, while Danaher Corpo- ration has invested in Nobel Biocare and Implant Direct. Rapidly growing CAD/CAM segment in the final abutment market Similar to the historical domi- nance of the premium segment in the implant market, the market for final abutments has traditionally been controlled by the stock abutment or prefabricated abutment segment. Al- though the majority of stock abut- ments lack many benefits associated with patient-individualised solutions found within the custom-cast abut- ment and CAD/CAM abutment seg- ments, they still provide a relatively simple and cost-efficient solution in most implant procedures. The seg- ment is expected to continue experi- © Oleksandr Berezko/Shutterstock.com Base, which give dentists the option of placing a cement-retained or screw-retained restoration. Ti-bases also allow dentists to choose between a hybrid abutment and a hybrid abut- ment crown (a combination of an abutment and a monolithic crown). The presence of Ti-base abutments has grown rapidly across most re- gions in Europe and it is expected to become the predominant stock abutment type in the near future. The cost-effective nature and flexibil- ity of options offered with Ti-base abutments will help maintain the position of the total stock abutment segment the overall market. Stock abutments currently represent over 50 per cent of the total final abutment volume in the majority of markets across Europe, but this in region of the mouth.5 CAD/CAM abut- ments are expected to continue to ex- perience double-digit growth, and the expanding market share of the seg- ment will limit ASP of the overall abutment market, since it carries a price premium relative to stock abut- ments and custom-cast abutments.1 Consolidation and emerging players in the competitive landscape In addition to investments in value and discount companies, the market for dental implants has been distinguished by consolidation among the top competitors. Most recently, Dentsply Sirona was established after the merger of DENTSPLY Inter- national and Sirona Dental Systems in February 2016, combining the ments. Competitors that have been able to secure a notable market share from the premium companies include BioHorizons, CAMLOG, Global D, medentis medical, Sweden & Martina and regional manufacturers.1 Other notable developments in the European market for dental im- plants include the increased uptake of ceramic materials, growing pres- ence of implant companies in the biomaterials space and rising demand for modern surgical protocols, such as immediate loading and full-arch resto- rations. Overall, growth within each segment will be highly dependent on the afore-mentioned factors and re- gion-specific characteristics.1 (cid:26) Editorial note: A list of references is available from the publisher. Authors iData Artur Kim is a research analyst at Research in Canada and lead rese- archer for the 2017 Europe Dental Implant Report Suite. His current work includes the 2017 Europe Dental Bone Graft Substitute Suite and the 2017 Europe Orthopedic Soft Tissue Repair Suite. Dr Kamran Zamanian is President, CEO and partner of iData Research. He has spent over 20 years working in the market re search industry. founding tors in the German and Italian im- plant markets have been particularly successful at capitalising on the shift in consumer preferences and now represent the top leading implant brands in those regions, both in terms of volume and revenue.1 Premium implant companies have acknowledged the impact of value and discount brands on the market, not only through discount pricing, but also through acquisitions and strategic investments. In April 2015, Straumann increased its owner- ship of Neodent, a leading value implant manufacturer from Latin America, to 100 per cent in order to encing price erosion owing to increas- ing pricing pressure from local, low- cost and generic manufacturers.1 An- other recent development within the stock abutment segment also contrib- uting to price depreciation is the in- troduction of Ti-base abutments. Ti-base abutments, also known as titanium bases or titanium interfaces, are a recent innovation within the stock abutment market that are a cost-effective alternative to tra- ditional CAD/CAM abutments, since they are intended for in-house or independent milling machine use. Examples include Straumann’s Vario- base and Nobel Biocare’s Universal share is expected to steadily de- crease.1 Recent improvements in produc- tion capability and technological in- novation have made CAD/CAM abut- ments significantly more affordable than in the past. CAD/CAM abut- ments are now relatively comparable in price to custom-cast abutments and are more easily accessible, espe- cially in regions where milling labo- ratories with CAD/CAM production are in greater abundance. Further- more, CAD/CAM zirconia abutments are primarily required in cases in which aesthetic outcomes are of higher priority, such as the anterior strengths of each company in dental consumables and innovative technol- ogy, respectively.6 The premium implant company acquired Astra Tech in 2011 and announced the acquisition of MIS in June 2016.4 In June 2015, Zimmer Biomet was formed the merger of Zimmer and Biomet, combining the dental divisions of each company, Zimmer Dental and BIOMET 3i.7 through Although the premium implant companies still collectively maintain over 60 per cent of the European mar- ket, they are expected to face compet- itive challenges from emerging play- ers in the value and discount seg- 20 26th EAO Annual Scientific Meeting

Pages Overview