Intraoral scanners form a core part of modern dentistry by allowing dentists to create 3D digital impressions of a patient’s mouth. The scanner builds a digital image that’s then sent to the lab, where it’s turned into various dental or orthodontic products, ranging from crowns, bridges, and veneers to implants and aligners.
It’s a step up from the traditional way of placing trays in a patient’s mouth, filled with impression material that then sets and molds itself around their teeth and gums to form a physical impression. Intraoral scanners are both faster and more comfortable for patients, making them a must-have in any dental office.
But which one should you invest in? Three brands throw their hats in the ring here, and this guide explains what they offer and the key differences between them all.
3Shape
3Shape is one of the premium brands in the intraoral scanner world, and its TRIOS range remains very popular with many dentists. The 3Shape TRIOS 3 Pod gains a lot of attention, offering a 3-in-one solution that gives you an intraoral scanner, integrated intraoral camera, and automated shade measurement all together. It’s also extremely lightweight and doesn’t take up much space, making it less intimidating to patients and an easy product to use.
Then there’s the TRIOS Core Dental Intraoral Scanner, which is a fraction of the cost and focuses firmly on the scanning element without any additional features. A great choice if all you need is a scanner and nothing else.
Why choose 3Shape? The brand is known for fantastic scanning speeds with near-perfect accuracy and great scan alignment. It also does a great job of making really light scanners that are easy for dentists to handle and navigate into hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.
Why avoid 3Shape? Compared to other brands, 3Shape can often be far more expensive, but it’s also got a large ecosystem that makes it harder to use the products without investing in more products from the same brand.
iTero
iTero made a name for itself with the popular Element 5D Plus Lite dental scanner, which offers excellent performance at a rather nice price point. Of all the brands on this list, iTero is seen by many as the most affordable – but that often means its products aren’t as “flashy” and may not come with many additional features.
The entire range of iTero products is designed to be user-friendly, offering an ergonomic scanner that fits in the dentist’s hands and can easily provide a full 3D scan of any mouth without complications. Most of all, this brand’s products are specifically designed for orthodontists – especially those using Invisalign. You’ll see this mentioned many times across the product descriptions, and the scanners are made to generate accurate renders that can then be used to develop aligners for patients.
Why choose iTero? Simply put, it’s the best option for orthodontic practices, particularly if you are selling Invisalign treatments. You’ll also benefit from a lower investment barrier with iTero intraoral scanners, which appeals to startup dental businesses or those with a low operating budget.
Why avoid iTero? There aren’t that many products in the range, and most of them only provide scanning functionalities. That’s fine if you only want your product to do one thing, but if you’re looking for a scanner that’s also a camera or has other functions, then iTero might be one for you to avoid. We also think there are better options for dentists specifically, as the iTero range is more suited to orthodontic work.
Medit
Medit offers products across the entire spectrum of budgets, starting with the affordable Medit i500 for just $5,500. This particular product offers handheld convenience and a scanner that’s about the size of a large pen. It can create 3D scans for use in computer-assisted design and provides exceptional value-for-money.
A step up from that is the Medit i600, which builds on the success of the i500 with a few additional features. It’s designed to be more flexible and usable in the modern dental office, with direct connectivity to your working PC. This allows you to perform accurate 3D scans that are immediately uploaded and ready to view. An 180-degree reversible scan tip means the scanning experience is even more comfortable for patients.
If you want a more premium intraoral scanner, then the Medit i900 or KaVo X 500 scanners are worth mentioning. Each provides you with a great level of flexibility, allowing you to export STL files and share them with your lab immediately. The KaVo utilizes two high-speed cameras for better accuracy and efficiency, while the i900 has a third-generation optical engine that delivers imagery with impeccable clarity.
Why choose Medit? You should opt for Medit intraoral scanners if you like a digital-first solution. All products in this range use the cloud-based Medit Link platform, which allows you to upload scans and work with labs all through a neat application. This is also definitely the brand that supports digital dentistry the most, including features that allow for much faster imager uploads.
Why avoid Medit? To be honest, there aren’t many reasons to avoid Medit, other than maybe some of its best products are within the higher price range for smaller dental offices. Some people may also find it difficult to use the Medit Link app and would prefer their existing work processes.
Why Intraoral Scanner Is Best?
All in all, these three brands all position themselves as the best in certain departments:
- 3Shape is the best if you want a premium brand with established products and a very broad ecosystem to apply across your dental office. It’s probably ideal for an all-round practice that performs many types of dentistry.
- iTero definitely works best in orthodontic offices, or dental offices that create a lot of aligners for patients. That’s not to say that it lacks restorative dentistry use, but other scanners are better suited to that type of work.
- Medit is hands-down the best in terms of harnessing a flexible digital workflow. That doesn’t mean it has the best scanners overall, but rather that it does the best job of integrating them with other aspects of your work.
The truth is that it’s impossible to single out one brand or product as the “best” intraoral scanner. It depends on what you’re looking for from this product, how much you’re willing to spend, and what type of dental work you’ll use it for the most.