The Union Textiles Ministry is working on an innovative solution to reduce the cost of dental implants by developing fabric-based alternatives to expensive ceramic, polymer, and composite implants. This initiative, part of the National Technical Textiles Mission, aims to make dental care more affordable and accessible, according to sources familiar with the project.
Currently, most dental implant components are imported from countries like Israel and China. The ministry’s plan is to use dental resins made from polyester to restore and replace tooth structures, with research and development spearheaded by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). The project will undergo various levels of testing, including clinical trials on humans.
“The process is still in the preparation phase, and consultations with stakeholders are being planned to outline the strategy. It is a costly project that will take at least five years to develop a prototype,” said one person involved in the initiative.
Globally, dental implant materials include titanium and its alloys, gold alloys, stainless steel, and cobalt-chromium alloys. Fabric-based teeth are already in use in some countries, including Germany and the US. The Indian government is looking to adopt this approach to offer a more cost-effective alternative.
The project is part of the ministry’s broader National Technical Textiles Mission, falling under the medical textiles category. In the interim budget, the government increased the allocation for this mission to ₹375 crore from ₹170 crore to support the development of medical textiles.
The second person familiar with the project emphasized that the key objective is to make dental implants more affordable for patients. Significant funding will be required for research, and the government plans to collaborate with private manufacturers to bring the technology to market.
Former Dental Council of India president Dr. Dibyendu Mazumdar praised the initiative, stating that it would help India become self-reliant in dental implants. “The government should expedite the process. Once the patent is filed, it should be sent to the Dental Council. This initiative has immense market potential,” Mazumdar said.
However, Dr. Amit Kumar Sharma, head of the dental department at NIMS Dental College and Hospital in Jaipur, expressed skepticism. He argued that an implant entirely made of fabric might not be durable enough, suggesting that fabric should be combined with metals for greater strength and longevity.
The dental implants market is seeing significant growth due to rising demand for cosmetic dentistry and technological advancements in dental care. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, the global dental implants market was valued at $10.09 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.95%, reaching $18.42 billion by 2030. The report also highlights that oral diseases affect nearly 45% of the global population, impacting around 3.5 billion people of all ages.
The ministry’s initiative is poised to tap into this growing demand by offering a more affordable alternative to conventional implants. However, further research and testing will be crucial to ensure the success and reliability of fabric-based dental implants.
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