Challenges to the introduction of new technologies to dental practice

Despite promising breakthroughs in basic biomedical science, the pace at which innovative and disruptive new technologies are developed and introduced into dental practice lags behind that of medicine. This is largely a result of resource issues, both financial and human, as well as determinants in the marketplace. For example, the cost of developing a new drug or technology for dentistry and bringing it to market is often disproportionably high relative to the size of the dental market, thereby making it commercially unfeasible to pursue development. When a new technology is commercialized, its successful introduction can be facilitated by research that makes a compelling case for effective use. As our understanding of mechanisms of disease pathogenesis progresses, identifying compounds and technologies with applicability to both oral and systemic diseases could change the economics of dental product development and lead to additional innovative advances in our field.