The healthcare industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by telemedicine, real-time diagnostics, smart hospitals and access to digital therapies, as well as the growing importance of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality (AR), robotics and data management practices. In the last three years alone, there have been over 106,000 patents filed and granted in the healthcare industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Computer-aided dental prostheses.
However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
200+ innovations will shape the healthcare industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the healthcare industry using innovation intensity models built on over 443,000 patents, there are 200+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, drug delivery device security, microscopic image analysis models, and cellular imaging techniques are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Smart balloon catheters, automated immunoassay analysers, and AI-assisted MRI are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are smart fitness training system and non-invasive physiological monitoring which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for artificial intelligence in the healthcare industry
Computer-aided dental prostheses is a key innovation area in artificial intelligence
Dental prostheses and restorations are designed and created using computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) in the digital dentistry field. CAM systems employ models and assemblies made in CAD software to print 3D models of intended parts, whereas CAD involves the use of computer technology for design documentation. Custom dental prostheses are made for each patient, specifically using CAD/CAM materials. Various CAD/CAM technologies have been used throughout the fabrication process for restorations. Based on the digital data as a virtual wax-up, restorations are created on a computer screen using CAD software.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 40+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established healthcare companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of computer-aided dental prostheses.
Key players in computer-aided dental prostheses – a disruptive innovation in the healthcare industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to computer-aided dental prostheses
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Dentsply Sirona is one of the leading patent filers in the field of computer-aided dental prostheses. Some other key patent filers in the field include Align Technology, Zimmer Biomet, 3Shape and Mitsui Chemicals.
In terms of application diversity, Dental Smartmirror leads the pack, followed by MegaGen Implant and Novartis. By means of geographic reach, Viax Dental Technologies held the top position, followed by Den-Mat and ULab Systems in second and third spots, respectively.
Using computer-aided design and production, dental CAD/CAM systems improve the quality of dental restorations, such as crowns, bridges, and prostheses including dental implants. CAD/CAM technologies complement earlier dental treatment technologies by speeding up design and production, as well as improving the applicability and ease of their creation, building, and placement procedures. Some of the key reasons expected to propel the growth of the dental CAD/CAM market worldwide are the rising incidence of dental problems, growing knowledge of the newest technologies for the precise designing of dental prostheses, and rising usage of chair-side dental CAD/CAM systems.
To further understand how artificial intelligence is disrupting the healthcare industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on AI in Healthcare - 2021.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
