Which Planmeca CBCT Option Is Best for My Dental Practice?

For over 40 years, Planmeca has consistently ranked as one of the leading manufacturers in the industry for digital dental imaging, providing a comprehensive line of panoramic, cephalometric and cone beam imaging systems. Planmeca’s technologies routinely receive high marks for image quality, dependability, and ease of use.

Here at Renew Digital, we have always been very selective about which products we choose to offer, preferring to work with brands that really deliver great performance to go with our obsessive level of customer service. When you are investing in a new cone beam (CBCT) digital imaging system, we often recommend Planmeca to be on your shortlist of technologies to review.

Planmeca offers quite a few cone beam imaging machines, so it can be a little confusing to navigate all the features each system includes and which may fit your practice best. Luckily, our team at Renew Digital has done some of the hard work for you, helping you decide which Planmeca CBCT system fits your clinical needs.

Planmeca Viso Family

The Viso family of CBCT systems includes the G5 & G7 units, the newest technologies offered by Planmeca. The two units are nearly identical with the exception of the cone beam field of view (FOV) that each system captures. The G5 captures a field of view from 3x3 cm to 20x17 cm, while the G7 increases the top-end FOV size to 30x30 cm. If you have a multi-specialty practice performing a considerable amount of maxillofacial/orthognathic surgery, dental sleep medicine or ENT treatment, these units will definitely work for you.

So what separates the Viso family from the other large field of view CBCT units offered by Planmeca? The Viso family of Planmeca CBCT machines offer an array of premium features, including:

• Video-based patient positioning via the onboard video control panel

• Planmeca ProFace for superimposition of 3D facial photographs on a CBCT volume to create a “virtual patient”
• More comfortable patient support
• Ultra low-dose imaging

Of course, premium features typically come with a premium price, so that’s definitely a consideration here. But, if you have to have the “latest and greatest” Planmeca CBCT system, you should check out the Viso line.

Planmeca ProMax Family

The Planmeca ProMax family sits below the Viso in terms of the hierarchy of Planmeca CBCT systems. While the ProMax line still offers high-resolution CBCT imaging at a variety of volume sizes, it does not include some of the more premium features found on the Viso. There are several models of the Planmeca ProMax, again differentiated by the field of view that can be captured.

• Planmeca ProMax 3D S: The ProMax S is a perfect Planmeca CBCT machine for dentists that are just getting started with cone beam imaging or that perform localized procedures, including placing single implants or endodontic therapy. The ProMax S offers volume sizes ranging from 4.2x4.2 cm up to 5x8 cm.
• Planmeca ProMax 3D Classic: The ProMax Classic can take full dentition scans between 5x5 cm and 8x8 cm. This system is a great choice for practices performing endodontics, orthodontics and oral surgery. However, if you need to capture both TMJs, you’ll want to move up to the next system on our list.
• Planmeca ProMax 3D Mid: The ProMax increases the maximum field of view you can acquire to 16x16 cm, so this system is great for a really wide variety of procedures, from endodontics to TMJ analysis. The ProMax Mid also offers a variety of anatomical presets for ENT imaging. This system is very useful as an all-in-one CBCT machine for practices offering treatment across multiple specialties.
• Planmeca ProMax 3D Plus: The ProMax Plus captures scans that can go beyond dentition, enabling extended views of the entire maxillofacial region. The Planmeca ProMax Plus is a great choice for practices that support a high volume of oral and maxillofacial surgery, ENT, orthodontics, TMJ analysis, and extensive implant cases.

Renew Digital Recommendations

As you can see, Planmeca offers a CBCT system that fits every clinical need. Our recommendation is to start your research by considering which clinical treatments your practice offers and narrow your options by field of view first. Then, consider what other features are important to you, from a workflow and patient comfort perspective. 

Finally, compare pricing and determine which system fits your budget. By approaching your research from this perspective, you’ll end up deciding on a system that checks all the clinical boxes and fits your budget.

Still not sure which system is right for you? 

Reach out to our team and we will have one of our experts walk you through your options for a Planmeca CBCT system and other CBCT brands that we feel may fit your practice’s specific needs. 

We offer certified pre-owned Planmeca CBCT units and other major 3D imaging brands at up to 30% to 50% off the price of new systems, giving you the 3D imaging technology you need at a value you can feel great about.

Call us at 888-246-5611 or contact us online to get started.