Dental braces are commonly used in orthodontic treatment to improve an individual’s orofacial appearance. Malocclusions (tooth overcrowding or crooked teeth), overbites, deep bites, cross bites, under bites, and incorrect jaw positions are some of the conditions that affect the orofacial appearance and other orthodontic problems. Malocclusions often lead to lack of confidence in a person. Dental braces are placed on teeth, in order to realign the position of teeth. Dental braces apply pressure, which leads to change in the shape of bone. It is most commonly used by children between the age group of 10 to 14. Dental braces are made up of different materials such as metal, ceramics, and biocompatible polymers. Invisible braces are innovative type of braces that are made up of polymers and it does not have wire or bracket, which prevents pain and discomfort that arises while using metal or ceramic braces.

Market Dynamics

Increasing number of cases of malocclusions, jaw disease, jaw pain, tooth decay, and tooth loss globally are major factors driving growth of the dental braces market. According to the World Health Organization’s Oral Health factsheet in 2012, Dental trauma also leads to overbite, under bite, and cross bite incidence. 16%-40% of the children between the age group of 6 years to12 years are affected by dental trauma due to lack of safe playing area or ground, frequent road accidents or violence. Severe periodontal (gum) diseases are found in 15%–20% of people between the age of 35 and 44, which may result in tooth loss and need for dental braces, in order to reshape the tooth. Tooth decay is also result of improper brushing due to malocclusions and overbites of teeth’s. Key players are launching new products in the market, which would cater to the needs of patients and expand the dental braces market. For instance, in March 2018, Ormco Corporation launched ceramic twin bracket brace product named symetri clear, which is the next generation and technologically advanced ceramic twin brackets. Other factors such as increasing middle class population worldwide, increasing awareness about orthodontic treatment, and rapid advancement in orthodontic products is expected to propel growth of the dental braces market.

However, lack of proper reimbursement for the orthodontic procedures and products due to limited insurance coverage is expected to hamper growth of dental braces market.

Regional Insights

On the basis of region, the global dental braces market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. North America is expected to hold dominant position in the market during the forecast period, owing to increasing number of orthodontic procedures due to malocclusions. According to a study published in the Journal of American Dental Association, around 1,875 children per 100,000 children the in U.S. face malocclusion. According to a survey published by the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) in 2013, it was observed that the number of adult patients undergoing orthodontics surgery has increased to 14% in a two-year period of study (2010-2012). Over 4.6 million orthodontic procedures were performed during study period for patients below 17 years of age and including all the other age groups, this number increased to 5.8 million in 2012. Europe is the second most important region after North America for dental braces. For instance, according to a report by the Oral Health Platform of European Union, 2012, 27 European countries, together, accounted for around US$ 97 billion expenditure on oral care, which is one of the highest expenditure in the world. Asia Pacific region is expected to witness significant growth in the dental braces market due to rising disposable income and awareness about oral health and orofacial appearance. Moreover, dental tourism is another important factor driving growth of the dental braces market in this region due to cost advantage offered by this region, as compared to other regions. According to a report by the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), medical tourism (dental tourism is part of medical tourism) is expected to grow to US$ 9.0 billion by 2020.

Competitive Landscape

Key players operating in the dental braces market include 3M Company, Align Technology, Inc., DB Orthodontics, Ormco Corporation, Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd., Dentsply Sirona, ClearCorrect, American Orthodontics, Henry Schien, Inc., Rocky Mountain Orthodontics, G&H Orthodontics Inc., TP Orthodontics, Inc., and Ultradent Products, Inc.

Market Taxonomy

On the basis of product type, the global dental braces market is segmented into: