iTERO MEDIT I/O SCANNERS

How Much Do Intraoral Scanners Cost?

Sam Saidman

As a dental professional, you’re likely hearing about new technologies all the time. With the promise of improving workflows, enhancing patient care, and giving you the ability to market and offer your patients treatment via state-of-the-art, advanced equipment, many new technologies make sound investments for your practice. To help you decipher which are worth your investment, you may reach out to your colleagues, attend a conference, or research online.

One technology that’s proven to be a mainstay for dentistry over the past decade is intraoral scanners. More and more dentists are shying away from messy and uncomfortable traditional dental impressions in favor of intraoral scanners for quick, easy, and exportable digital impressioning.

Doctors are investing in intraoral scanners to bring value to their practices by helping them improve accuracy in treatment planning while maintaining completely digital patient records. Digital Impressions are also much more comfortable for patients than traditional impressions, while improving the workflow of submitting requests to mills, dental labs, 3D printers, etc. for appliance fabrication. Plus, many doctors are finding that with a cart-style or laptop monitor, they’re seeing greater treatment acceptance by being able to show their patients a full 3D scan of their mouth right in the operatory.

Many imaging brands now manufacture intraoral scanners, making it a competitive marketplace. With a wide variety of brands at a range of price points, it can be difficult to decide which scanner will be best for your practice

Today, we’re sharing the average price you can expect to pay for an intraoral scanner, along with some of the factors you’ll want to consider while shopping.

The Average Price of a New Intraoral Scanner

Today’s market offers intraoral scanners at a range of prices, with a variety of features that affect the amount you’ll end up paying. You’ll always want to keep in mind the main treatment area you’ll be using the scanner for - after all, some brands are more popular for certain procedures. iTero, for example, is the most popular brand for clear aligner workflow, especially Invisalign treatment. .

Generally, for a new intraoral scanner, the range you can expect to pay is between $20,000 and $30,000. Like any other technology, there are entry-level brands that have a few premium options along with higher-end models with more sophisticated features.

When making an investment in any technology, you’ll always want to consider the return on investment you will experience over the ownership period. While an intraoral scanner can be a considerable up-front expense, there are definite savings to be considered. When you move to a digital impression workflow, you’ll save on impression material and storage space for physical models. Quicker treatment planning allows you to see more patients more efficiently, while improving case acceptance with clear treatment recommendations that patients can see in a 3D rendering.

In sum, while there is a definite up-front cost to think about, it may be more affordable and more efficient to invest in an intraoral scanner over the long term.

Considerations That Impact Price

To help you get started on your research, we’ve outlined the primary considerations that will impact the price you’ll pay for an intraoral scanner. After all, you want your purchase to return the best value for your money.

These considerations will help you make appropriate comparisons between brands and models. Plus, you can use this guideline to determine which features are worth the extra investment, and which are just “nice to have.”

Features:

One of the obvious factors impacting price is the feature set the scanner includes. This is where you’ll want to consider the necessary features you’ll need for the procedures you are going to be using the scanner for. All intraoral scanners on the market today are minimally invasive to improve both operator and patient comfort. This means they are lightweight, use relatively small tips for scanning, take quick full arch scans, and are powder-free.

If you’re able to demo an intraoral scanner before you buy, many manufacturers define their products by these ease-of-use and comfort criteria: scan speed, weight, and tip size. You’ll also likely encounter other features such as wired/wireless, open lab connectivity, and monitor/display configuration. And, some scanners even include additional functionality like caries detection.

Software/Subscription:

The 3D treatment planning software used with intraoral scanners typically differs by brand. This matters because software powers the scanner, which directly impacts the performance you’ll get. In many ways, the software utilized is just as (if not more) critical than the scanner itself. The 3D software the scanner integrates with will often have the biggest impact on ease of use and workflow efficiency, especially when it comes to the design and fabrication of dental appliances in conjunction with your lab.

Some scanner brands place a great deal of emphasis on the value you’ll get from their software, not only for improving scanning speed and treatment planning but also becoming a full imaging resource for your practice.

For example, myiTero ^Ⓡ is the exclusive software that is included with the popular scanner brand iTero^Ⓡ. Because their product is the only scanner compatible with Invisalign^Ⓡ, their software needs to be powerful and intuitive to give all doctors the best value. It is also an award-winning restorative program, with workflows designed to guide the user through specific procedures - making it easy for doctors and staff to learn quickly.

For more information on myiTero ^Ⓡ, its features, and its benefits, check out the video below.

As a final note, you’ll find certain brands charge a monthly subscription fee to use their software, which impacts your overall investment.

Warranty

One consideration that is sometimes overlooked (but definitely shouldn’t be) is the warranty included with your scanner. Your warranty should include coverage for both parts and labor (if applicable) providing peace of mind for any potential issues that could impact the usability of your scanner. You’ll want to know:

The length of the original coverage.
What is covered under the term of the warranty?
If there is a deductible charged for submitting a claim.
Are there extended warranty options? If so, what is the additional cost?

Training/Support

While customer service doesn’t directly impact upfront cost, it’s definitely something you should consider over the long term. Make sure you purchase your scanner from a manufacturer or dealer with a solid track record of providing great service.

Some intraoral scanner brands offer a great product but tend to fall a bit behind on the service component of the customer purchase. You should expect thorough training and access to a help desk for troubleshooting. As an example, iTero ^Ⓡ provides dedicated support and integration teams, so you and your staff are efficiently and properly trained on using their scanner. iTero additionally offers self-paced, interactive courses, videos, and other customized instructional support, all as an added value to you and your team.

New vs. Used

This is one of our favorite topics to cover, because many doctors are not aware that they can purchase used dental equipment, helping them save money on top-of-the-line technologies..

For over 10 years, we’ve worked with thousands of doctors to address their dental imaging needs, saving our customers 30%-50% on new list prices with our wide inventory of certified pre-owned technologies. We carry the leading brands that are most requested by doctors so that we can bring you the best value for your practice. In the end, we’ll find you the brand and model that works for you rather than promoting a specific brand over others.

We are also authorized dealers of iTero ^Ⓡ Element scanners. We’re proud to offer the iTero ^Ⓡ Element Flex Foundation CPO Intraoral Scanner, which includes a 3D-optimized laptop for true “plug and play” operation. These scanners are supported just like new ones, with a dedicated team of service and support staff, giving you the same performance as a new unit.

These scanners also come with the award-winning iTero ^Ⓡ restorative platform, all with no recurring costs for 3 years. This means you’ll have no monthly fees for your software, subscription, or warranty.