Implant market growth foreseen in Europe

In 2008, the combined European market for dental implants and final abutments increased by 6.8% over 2007, according to ChinaCCM.com, a Chinese market research company.

The three largest consumers of implants were Germany, Italy, and France, in that order. But the fastest growing dental implant markets within Europe were the Benelux countries, Poland, and the U.K., according to the report.

Due to the economic crisis that began in 2008, the market will experience a sharp decline, reaching its lowest point in 2009, the company estimated. It expects the market to recover from the global economic recession and return to strong growth by 2011, reaching a market value of over 1.3 billion euros ($1.9 billion) by 2015.

The German dental prosthetics market was the largest in the European continent, ChinaCCM said. This was due mainly to Germany having the largest population in Europe and the importance that Germans place on the care for their teeth, according to the report. The German tradition of superior engineering and attention to detail also helps encourage this market, as many dental companies originate from Germany, the report said.

The Italian market for dental prosthetics was the second largest market in Europe in 2008. Italy also has the fourth largest population in the EU, with 58.1 million people. The Italian oral healthcare system depends on local priorities, and thus varies greatly from town to town. Overall, the Italian market is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period.

In 2008, the French market for dental prosthetics is the third-largest in Europe. The market is similar to other western European markets, as the crown and bridge market is near 100% saturation, and the only growth in procedures comes from increases in population, as well as an aging population, according to ChinaCCM. The French CAD/CAM market has the greatest potential for growth, the report said.

The Benelux market -- which includes the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg -- has experienced substantial growth, due to changes in reimbursement policies in 2005, the report noted, while the Polish market for dental implant and final abutment has great potential for future growth due to increasing awareness of implants, high edentulism rates, and the country's population. The average selling price of implants in Poland is expected to grow over the forecast period.

The U.K. market for dental implants is the sixth largest dental implant market in Europe. In 2008, the average selling price for dental implants in the U.K. was significantly higher than the European average. These prices will continue to increase due to the high popularity of more expensive brand name implants, according to ChinaCCM.