Disposable Articulators Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis, By Product Type (Flat, Round, and Oblique), By Function (Posterior and Anterior), By Material (Metal and Plastic), By Application (Crowns & Bridges, Dentures, Dental Veneers, and Others), By End-user (Solo Practices, DSO/Group Practices, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032

The global disposable articulators market is witnessing significant growth due to the increasing number of dental procedures to treat several dental conditions, including tooth decay and periodontal diseases. The articulators help in planning restorations such as fillings and crowns, ensuring proper alignment and occlusion.

• For instance, in March 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that severe periodontal diseases affected an estimated 19.0% of adults globally, representing 1.0 billion cases worldwide.

Disposable Articulators Market Driver

Increasing Prevalence of Dental Ailments Coupled with the Aging Population Boosts Market Growth

Over recent years, there has been a growing prevalence of dental conditions such as dental caries and periodontal diseases across the globe. Such conditions are more common among aged individuals, which is driving the utilization of disposable articulators in dental procedures performed for such conditions.

• For instance, as per data published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2023, an estimated 2.0 billion individuals suffer from caries of permanent teeth worldwide.

The U.S. accounted for 202,304 dentists in 2023, with Texas accounting for 16,522 dentists, the highest in the U.S.

Disposable Articulators Market Restraint

Availability of Alternative Solutions May Limit the Product Demand

In addition to the disposable articulators, there are several alternatives available, such as the reusable articulators in the market. Although the initial investment in reusable articulators may be higher, they can lead to significant long-term savings as they can be used multiple times, decreasing the cost per use, especially for high-volume dental practices.

• For instance, as of July 2024, the Dental Lab Shop states that the reusable articulators composed of plastic can be used multiple times and offer cost-effectivity compared to other articulators. 

Disposable Articulators Market Opportunity

Adoption of 3D-Printed Articulators May Augment Market Potential

Innovations such as 3D-printed articulators are enhancing their precision and customization, making these tools more appealing to dental professionals, which is expected to provide a significant opportunity for key players in the global market.

• For instance, as of July 2024, TCA Dental provides the 3D disposable crown and bridge articulators. This model offers accurate centric occlusion and provides lateral and protrusive movements, revolutionizing the model and die process through their detachability and dependability.

Key Insights

The report covers the following key insights:

• Prevalence of Key Dental Diseases, By Key Countries, 2023


• Key Industry Developments (Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships)


• Overview: Applications of Disposable Articulators 


• Impact of COVID-19 on the Market

Segmentation

By Product Type	By Function	By Material	By Application	By End-user	By Geography
Flat Round Oblique	Posterior Anterior	Metal Plastic	Crowns & Bridges Dentures Dental Veneers Others	Solo Practices DSO/Group Practices Others	North America (U.S. and Canada) Europe (U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, and the Rest of Europe) Asia Pacific (Japan, China, India, Australia, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Rest of Asia Pacific) Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, and the Rest of Latin America) Middle East & Africa (South Africa, GCC, and Rest of the Middle East & Africa)

Analysis by Product Type

Based on product type, the market is categorized into flat, round, and oblique.

The flat segment is projected to hold a significant market share during the forecast period. The flat disposable articulator offers stability, simplicity, and ease of use, making it a favored choice for many dental practices, which is anticipated to fuel the segment growth.

• For instance, as of July 2024, Ultimate Dental states that Argetex flat disposable articulators made up of high-quality Nylon 6 6 plastic offer great centric occlusion, as well as lateral and protrusive movement.

Analysis by Function

By function, the market is divided into posterior and anterior.

The posterior segment accounted for the significant proportion of the disposable articulators market. Posterior articulators allow for the fabrication of the accurate dies and models using the intelligent dental articulator design, which is crucial for developing the precise dental restorations. Moreover, they provide additional functionality over anterior articulators, which is expected to boost their adoption and drive market growth.

• For instance, as of July 2024, Premier Dental Co.'s W.O.W.2 posterior models feature advanced Flash Air Dam technology, which provides additional functionality compared to anterior articulators.

Analysis by Material

By material, the market is categorized into metal and plastic.

The plastic segment is expected to hold a substantial share of the disposable articulators market. The articulators are predominantly made from plastic rather than metal. This preference is driven by several factors related to functionality, cost-effectiveness, and hygiene standards in dental practices.

• For instance, in January 2022, Dental Creations, Ltd. stated that its EZ disposable articulators are made of plastic and offer several advantages, such as low cost, full range of motion, and lightweight.

Analysis by Application

Based on application, the market is subdivided into crowns & bridges, dentures, dental veneers, and others.

The crowns & bridges segment is anticipated to hold a significant share of the market. The rising incidence of dental ailments in which tooth becomes severely damaged or decayed is driving the demand for procedures such as crown and bridge restoration. Disposable articulators are essential tools for dentists when mounting upper and lower models during the fabrication of crowns and bridges.

• For instance, in November 2023, Barrie Smile Centre stated that tooth decay is the most common scenario in which dental crowns or bridge restoration is required to restore the tooth's strength, functionality, and appearance.

Analysis by End-user

By end-user, the market is segmented into solo practices, DSO/group practices, and others.

The DSO/group practices segment is projected to hold a significant share in the forthcoming years. There is a rising preference for dentists to affiliate with a DSO for various dental procedures. This is projected to boost the adoption of disposable articulators in the DSO/group practices, driving the segment growth during the projection period.

• For instance, as per an article published by the American Dental Association in February 2024, around 13.0% of the U.S. dentists were affiliated with a DSO in 2022, which represented an increase from 10.4% in 2019.

Regional Analysis

Based on region, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

North America accounted for the largest share of the global disposable articulators market in 2023. The growth of the market in the region is attributed to the rise in the number of dentists and their clinics, which is contributing to the number of dental procedures and driving the product adoption in the region.

• For instance, as of July 2024, the American Dental Association (ADA) reported that there were 202,304 professionally active dentists in the U.S. in 2023.

Europe is the second-largest market based on the demand for disposable articulators. The growth of the market is attributed to the robust dental sector and increasing awareness of advanced dental procedures, which is driving the utilization of articulators in the region.

The Asia Pacific market is expected to grow robustly in the forthcoming years. The surge in number of patient visits to dental care facilities for various procedures is contributing to the use of disposable articulators, which is projected to boost the regional market growth over the coming years.

Key Players Covered

The global market is fragmented, with a large number of companies offering various types of disposable articulators.

The report includes the profiles of the following key players:

• Dental Creations, Ltd. (U.S.)


• Keystone Industries (U.S.)


• SONG YOUNG INTERNATIONAL CO. (Taiwan)


• Whip Mix (U.S.)


• Elident (U.S.)


• MESTRA (Spain)

Key Industry Developments

• In May 2023, Whip Mix partnered with Prima Digital, the global dental bur manufacturer of unique milling tools used for dental restorations. Through this partnership, Prima Digital represented a component of Whip Mix's premier collection of products selected to provide a complete restorative and digital workflow.


• In January 2024, Practo announced its plan to launch over 100 Practo dental clinics across India. These dental clinics are expected to increase the demand for the use of disposable articulators in the country.