New dental technologies come and go, but over the past decade, it appears intraoral scanners have become a mainstay. Doctors are investing in intraoral scanners to bring value to their practices, helping them maintain digital clinical records while performing treatments faster and more comfortably for patients. And, the digital format acquired through an intraoral scanner makes working with mills, dental labs, and 3D printers easier than ever before.
Plus, many doctors utilizing a digital intraoral scanner are seeing greater treatment acceptance by incorporating the 3D visualizations as a tool for patient education.
Since intraoral scanners first made waves in the dental world, many brands now manufacture scanners - making it a competitive marketplace. With so many dental scanner brands to choose from, where do you get started?
For over a decade, Renew Digital has worked with thousands of dental professionals to help them find the right dental imaging equipment for their practice. Doctors we speak with routinely give us feedback on the brands and models they like best, so we have a good amount of data to lean on to help you make an informed decision.
In this article, we’re going to share a list of the most in-demand intraoral scanner brands available today - and some of the feedback we receive from doctors - to help you compare as you shop for your next scanner.
- iTero
- DEXIS Family of Products: Medit & Carestream
- 3Shape
- Planmeca
- Sirona
iTero
Over the past 15 years, iTero has become a brand that is recognized as a top-tier intraoral scanner. The iTero Element family of products is known for being the only intraoral scanners compatible with Invisalign, as well as being recognized for their powerful myiTero software, intuitive user interface, user-friendly touchscreen, and its overall slick design.
The current models available in the iTero Element family, sorted from entry-level to premium features include:
- iTero Element Flex (laptop configuration)
- iTero Element Flex 2 (cart configuration)
- iTero Element 5D (mobile cart design)
- iTero Element Plus Series (mobile cart with HD and 3D premium features)
Early in the foundation of the company, iTero placed a lot of emphasis on the value you’ll get from their myiTero software, not only for improving scanning speed but also by serving as a full resource for your practice. Because their scanners are the only brand compatible with Invisalign, their software needs to be powerful and intuitive to give all doctors the best value.
iTero also has a deep history in restorative work. iTero has powered over 10 million restorative procedures worldwide. The myiTero software features an award-winning restorative program, with premium features designed to guide scans on specific procedures - making it easy for doctors and staff to operate.
One additional outlier that pushes iTero ahead of its competitors is its commitment to providing a great customer experience by assigning dedicated support and integration teams with every scanner purchase.
The purpose of these customer service teams is to ensure you and your staff are efficiently and properly trained on using your scanner. iTero additionally offers self-paced, interactive courses, videos, and other customized instructional support, all as an added value to you and your team.
DEXIS Family (Medit & Carestream)
Formerly sold under the KaVo brand, DEXIS owns some of the leading technologies in intraoral and extraoral imaging, which includes scanners from Medit and Carestream.
Medit is a newer player in the dental scanner space. Founded in 2018 with its first product, the Medit i500, the company’s primary focus has been manufacturing an affordable, high-performance scanner. They have been really disruptive in the space - the first to offer no annual subscription fees. Their latest generation models, the i600 and i700, are also innovative in terms of their size, speed, and wireless scanning capabilities (i700 wireless).
The current models of Medit scanners available, from oldest to newest, are:
- Medit i500
- Medit i700 (faster, lightweight, optional wireless capabilities)
- Medit i600 (colorful design)
The Carestream Dental brand is known for being a reputable dental imaging equipment manufacturer. At Renew, we’ve worked with their extraoral imaging products for the entire history of our company, as they offer great versatility, functionality, and dependability.
Early in 2022, Carestream sold its scanner business to DEXIS. These scanners are known for their powerful software, which offers a high level of functionality. Their scanners also work with CS model software which allows you to create digital models, save your 3D scans, and edit them.
The current models of Carestream scanners available, from oldest to newest, are:
- CS 3600
- CS 3700 (faster, lighter weight)
- CS 3800 (wireless with HD/3D premium features)
3Shape
3Shape, like Medit, is a company solely focused on manufacturing a great intraoral scanner. With five generations, the 3Shape TRIOS is quickly becoming a significant contender in the dental scanner space. They were the first to offer a wireless intraoral scanner, and continue to innovate by creating an effortless scanning experience. The scanner is known by doctors for its versatility, used on nearly any procedure from crowns to bridges and more.
The current models of 3Shape scanners include (from oldest to newest):
- TRIOS 3
- TRIOS 4 (first wireless scanner)
- TRIOS 5 (greater ergonomics, battery life, and hygienic features)
Planmeca
Award-winning Planmeca systems deliver consistent, high-quality images. Planmeca’s lineup of 2D and 3D extraoral imaging, as well as its intraoral scanner, the Planmeca Emerald S, are recognized for their ease of use and dependability.
The Emerald S is Planmeca’s latest version of the Emerald with updated hardware and software. Speed is the Emerald S’s best feature, along with its native integration with Planmeca’s well-respected Romexis software. This is a more expensive, premium option, so consider value when comparing brands.
Sirona
Like Planmeca and Carestream, Sirona is a worldwide name in dental imaging, including 2D/3D extraoral imaging. Sirona is highly regarded by doctors for its quality equipment and customer service.
Their intraoral scanner, the Sirona Primescan, is the next generation scanner that has taken over for the OmniCam. The Primescan takes quick scans, is lightweight, has powerful software, and operates on a new hardware platform that Sirona developed from the ground up. This scanner is one of the most expensive on the list, so consider this when shopping.
Did You Know You Can Save Big on Intraoral Scanners When You Shop with Renew Digital
For over 10 years, doctors have recognized Renew Digital as the leader in certified pre-owned dental imaging. We’ve worked with thousands of doctors, saving our customers 30% to 50% on new list prices with a wide inventory of certified pre-owned machines, including intraoral scanners as well as panoramic, pan/ceph, and CBCT systems. We carry the leading brands most requested by doctors so that we can bring you the best value for your practice, not just the brand we represent.
Renew Digital is proud to be an authorized dealer of iTero Element scanners. We proudly offer the iTero Element Flex Foundation CPO Intraoral Scanner, which offers 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 full years. This means you’ll have no monthly fees on your software, subscription, and warranty. We offer this complete package, the iTero Element Flex scanner, laptop, and bundled warranty and integration teams all for just $15,995.
We also have a limited inventory of new-in-box Carestream CS 3700 Digital Impressioning System (2-Year Warranty) for $12,995. Includes the CS 3700 impressioning wand & calibration kit, new scanning laptop, software, training and a 2-year warranty.
Get started with your purchase plan by reaching a dedicated sales rep by calling 888-246-5611 or completing an online form today.
