Nobel Biocare is one of the biggest dental implant makers. It’s share price just dropped 7% on the news that their latest annual sales growth estimate is 23% rather than the 25% the market expected. Suffering on a high level I would say…

The main reason was that sales growth in North America slowed to 9.6 percent, down from 28 percent a year earlier. The company says demand was hurt by a slowdown in the U.S. economy and comparisons with last year, when sales were booming. Hm, it might be difficult to secure sub-premium loans for impants these days.

Interestingly Straumann Holding, the other main dental implant manufacturer and main competitor reported that sales in the US have started to pick up. Together Straumann and Nobel carve up more than 50% of the global dental implant market.

Nobel Biocare’s sales in Europe rose 23 percent and jumped 39 percent to 26.3 million euros in the Asian-Pacific region.

Nobel Biocare has tried to expand the market for implants by making the devices simpler to install and by marketing them heavily to dentists and consumers. About nine out of 10 people needing a new tooth choose a traditional crown-and- bridge or denture, because implants typically cost more and require a specialist.

In other words, there is still plenty of room for continued growth. Check our dental implants in Thailand section for more information on specific deals in the Land of Smile Makeovers.