Dental X-Ray Market Size & Share Analysis - Trends, Drivers, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2024 - 2030)

Dental X-Ray Market Trends & Growth Drivers

Integration with EHRs Is Biggest Trend in Market

• In this era of rapid digitization across industries, the integration of dental X-ray systems with (EHRs) has become a key trend in the market.
• EHRs are digital systems that gather, store, and share a vary array of data related to healthcare, including patients’ personally identifiable information, details of their doctor appointments and procedures, results of lab and imaging studies, records of treatment plans, prescriptions, dosage, and refills, as well as financial and insurance data.
• By integrating X-ray scanners with EHRs, the storage and sharing of images becomes easier and convenient.
• The booming trend of telemedicine, which proliferated during the COVID-19 pandemic, boosted the adoption of EHRs around the word.
• This way patients do not have to revisit the imaging center to retrieve their scans, as the images are directly transferred to their digital health account.
• This not only minimizes the risk of hospital-acquired infections due to repeated visits but also saves time and effort for patients, especially those unable to make repeated visits, such as those afflicted with chronic diseases and the elderly.

Growing Incidence of Oral Cancer To Propel Market Growth

• The growing incidence of oral cancer is the major factor projected to drive the growth of the global dental X-ray systems market over the forecast period.
• In this regard, the increasing demand for technologically advanced dental X-ray systems for better diagnosis is projected to drive the growth of the market.
• Moreover, the government initiatives to provide low-cost dental treatment in LMICs are expected to propel the demand for X-ray systems among dentists.
• As per the World Cancer Research Fund International, 389,846 new cases of oral and mouth cancer were diagnosed in 2022 globally.
• The biggest risk factors of this condition are tobacco and alcohol consumption, which is on the rise around the world.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the number o tobacco consumers on earth to be 1.3 billion and the annual deaths from it at 8 million.
• Another risk factor is human papilloma virus (HPV), which is the leading cause of oropharyngeal cancer.

High Cost of Scanners Restrains Market Growth

• The biggest restraint for the market growth is the high cost of these systems.
• Since they are more-specialized than conventional X-ray scanner, they are expensive.
• On average, a wired system can cost up to USD 15,000, while a wireless, portable one can have prices in the range of USD 50,000.
• Additionally, dental CBCT systems, which offer clearer and higher-resolution images, than conventional X-ray systems, can cost up to USD 300,000.
• Moreover, advanced software, such as AI, ML, and IoT, further inflate costs, making them unviable for individual dentistry practices.
• This also means that the scans are costly for patients, which restrains their usage even more in emerging economies, where not everyone can afford treatment at a full-fledged private hospital.

Dental X-Ray Market Analysis

Product Analysis

The digital dental X-ray category holds dominance, with a market share of 65% in 2024. This is also the faster-growing category, with a CAGR of 14.5% during the forecast period. The primary factors that influence the digital dental X-ray demand include the technological advancements in this imaging modality, surge in the demand for cosmetic dentistry services, and convenient as well as quick dental diagnosis through digital radiography. The advancements in the technology of dental digital x-ray systems have resulted in the generation of 2D and 3D representations of the scanned part. This enables the rapid identification of the problem and the development of targeted treatments.

Considering the importance of digital dental X-rays, companies are actively participating to launch various products. For instance, in March 2019, Carestream Dental LLC announced the launch of the CS 9600 imaging unit. The system is a combination of 2D panoramic technique and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging with 3D facial scanning and 3D model scanning, offering higher efficiency and reliability.

These products have been analyzed:

• Analog
• Digital (Larger and Faster-Growing Category)

Application Analysis

The dentistry category holds the largest share, of around 50%, in 2024. Dental X-rays are majorly used to image the insides of the oral cavity to look for signs of diseases. These systems are widely used to look for abscesses, cavities, fractures of the jaw bone, damage to the wisdom teeth, osteoporosis, periodontal disease, cysts, neoplasms, and abnormalities during development. The increasing usage of X-rays in dentistry is credited to the rising prevalence of all these conditions due to poor oral hygiene, certain genetic factors, alcohol and tobacco consumption, rising geriatric population, and many other factors.

The cosmetic category is expected to witness the fastest growth in the market during the forecast period. This can be ascribed to the growing popularity of cosmetic dentistry procedures, including dental implantology, teeth whitening, fillings, tooth bonding, smile makeover, and periodontal plastic surgery.

Moreover, the advent of CBCT systems is fueling the use of dental X-rays in cosmetic dentistry all over the world. The CBCT system is mainly used for accurate dental implant procedures, as it provides high-resolution 3D images for the planning and placement of dental implants, ridge mapping, and location of anatomical structures.

The report offers insights on the following applications:

• Cosmetics (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Dentistry (Largest Category)
• Forensics

Type Analysis  

The intraoral category holds the majority of the market share in 2024, and it is expected to witness the higher CAGR, of 14.7%, in the foreseeable future. This will be on account of the several benefits associated with intraoral dental X-rays, such as lower emission of radiation, lower maintenance costs, and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, this modality collects direct dental impressions, minimizes the number of restorative remakes, and improves clinical workflows, in general.

We have studied the following types of dental X-ray systems:

• Intraoral (Larger and Faster-Growing Category)
  • Bitewing
  • Occlusal
  • Periapical
• Extraoral
  • Panoramic
  • Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)
  • Others

Geographical Analysis

• The North American market is the largest, with an estimated value of over USD 1.2 billion in 2024.
• This is mainly ascribed to the technological advancements in digital radiography, which lead to the faster diagnosis and treatment of dental disorders.
• Moreover, the availability of orthodontists per person is rather high in the region, which further boosts the market growth.
• There are more than 11,000 orthodontists practicing in the U.S., which is around 3.5 per 100,000 persons.
• The APAC region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR, of 14.9%, in the years ahead.
• The rising prevalence of dental diseases, coupled with the increasing geriatric population, has propelled the demand for dental radiology equipment.
• The rising medical tourism activities for dental treatment are another factor bolstering the growth of the dental X-ray market.
• As medical treatment costs in developed countries are increasing exponentially, people from these countries are traveling to developing countries, which offer affordable dentistry services.
• Moreover, several initiatives are being taken by regional governments to promote awareness regarding oral health, which further drives the market growth.
• Nowadays, people in countries including India and China are more concerned regarding dental aesthetics than before, which is propelling the volume of dental X-ray scans.

The following is the geographical breakdown of the market:

• North America (Largest Regional Market)
  • U.S. (Larger and Faster-Growing Country Market)
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany (Largest Country Market)
  • U.K. (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia-Pacific (APAC) (Fastest-Growing Region)
  • China (Largest Country Market)
  • Japan
  • India (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Australia
  • South Korea
  • Rest of APAC
• Latin America (LATAM)
  • Brazil (Largest Country Market)
  • Mexico (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Rest of LATAM
• Middle East and Africa (MEA)
  • South Africa
  • Saudi Arabia (Largest Country Market)
  • U.A.E. (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Rest of MEA

Dental X-Ray Market Share

The market is fragmented in nature because of the diverse range of products available for varying applications. Moreover, generally, companies have specialization in particular applications. This means while some are dominant in the dentistry domain, others offer systems primarily for forensics or cosmetics. X-ray systems for dental applications are also easier and cost-effective to produce compared to those for proper medical applications, thus lowering the entry barriers for local companies. This also means that startups with innovative technologies find it easier to penetrate the market.

Dental X-Ray Market News

• In July 2024, GE HealthCare Technologies Inc. and Amazon Web Services Inc. began a partnership to develop AI models to advance medical diagnostics.
• In June 2024, Carestream Health Inc. announced enhancements to its ImageView software and CARESTREAM DRX-Evolution Plus system. The new features included in ImageView Software 2.1 include virtual long-length imaging, patient position monitoring, virtual collimation, positioning overlay, patient picture, and align assist.
• In June 2024, GE HealthCare Technologies Inc. signed an agreement with Salud Digna to implement digital technologies to advance CT, ultrasound, and MRI workflows in Mexico.
• In March 2024, PDDS Buyer LLC, operating as Planet DDS, announced an integrate suite of three of its existing software solutions: orthodontic practice management solution Cloud 9, cloud-based practice management solution for general practices Denticon, and cloud-based imaging solution Apteryx. This integration allows users to access the dental X-ray images stored in the Cloud 9 system without manual data entry.