Defined Contribution Plans and Deferred Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
National Collective Labor Agreement [Member] | Labor Force Concentration Risk [Member] | Italy [Member]
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of employees, percentage	21.50%
Defined Contribution pension plans for International employees [Member]
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Expenses incurred for contribution plans	$ 1,100,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,100,000
Deferred Compensation Plan [Member]
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Annual deferred compensation provision for leaving indemnity, as a percentage of total commissions earned	3.50%
Expense for deferred compensation	$ 100,000	100,000	100,000
Deferred compensation payments	200,000	100,000	0
Amount of deferred compensation payable	$ 1,400,000	1,500,000
Orthofix Inc 401(k) Plan [Member]
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employee contribution limit per calendar year (as a percent of compensation)	15.00%
Employer match of employee contributions of first level of eligible compensation (as a percent)	100.00%
Percentage of eligible compensation, matched by employer, level one	2.00%
Employer match of employee contributions of second level of eligible compensation (as a percent)	50.00%
Percentage of eligible compensation matched by employer, level two	4.00%
401 (k) Plans [Member]
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Expenses incurred for contribution plans	$ 2,000,000	$ 1,900,000	$ 2,000,000