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Dental Labs are Overcoming Challenges Thanks to Additive Manufacturing

For some time now, it has been clear that the dental laboratory business has experienced a notable shift, with even more change yet to come. Valued at $31.13B according to a report from Future Market Insights, it is expected to…

Dental labs
3Dnatives

For some time now, it has been clear that the dental laboratory business has experienced a notable shift, with even more change yet to come. Valued at $31.13B according to a report from Future Market Insights, it is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, not the least because of a rapidly aging population. Currently, the growth of the U.S. population aged 65 years or older exceeds that of the total population as well as that of the population under 65 due to lower birth rates and increased longevity in the United States and around the world. This, of course, is expected to drive demand for various dental products, such as dentures, in the coming years. However, before dental labs will be able to truly take advantage of this opportunity, there are a number of challenges that they must first address, which they can do through the adoption of additive manufacturing.

Dental labs are facing obstacles to growth not just on the market level but also on a smaller scale. In terms of industry, there are two major trends they must address. The first is the increase in competition as a result of increased lab consolidation at a time when the market is expected to grow rapidly after several years of decline. To benefit from the growth of the industry and rise above other labs, it is necessary for dental labs to find a way to become competitive in a saturated market.

3D printed dentures like the one pictured can be customized for the patient and made more quickly than many traditional methods

Another trend is a lack of skilled labor in the dental industry. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2007 and 2017, there was a 20% decrease in the number of dental technicians in the US, dropping from 44,530 to 35,630. And this trend has only increased, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. This of course means fewer people able to work on dental products, meaning an automated, hands-off digital process is increasingly necessary.