CAMBRIDGE, UK – The market for 3-D printed medical devices and pharmaceuticals will be worth $6.1 billion by the year 2029, says IDTechEx, a compound annual growth rate of up to 18% in certain sub-segments.

3-D printing is disrupting the way we provide personalized medicine, says the research firm. The hearing aid industry has been transformed by 3-D printing technology; the digital precision afforded by 3-D printing has improved patient comfort, while simultaneously decreasing manufacturing times.

3-D printing in dentistry is one such high growth market, and one of the most high-profile dental products to be manufactured by 3-D printing is the Invisalign transparent orthodontic aligners, says IDTechEX.

An emerging movement is the use of 3-D printing to create affordable prosthetics for children. Charitable organizations such as e-NABLE are using 3-D printing to create hands and arms from open source designs.

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