Commonly Used Types of Dental Digital Equipment

Commonly Used Types of Dental Digital Equipment

In modern oral healthcare, the integration of digital equipment is revolutionizing traditional treatment methods at an unprecedented pace. These advanced technologies enhance diagnostic accuracy, improve treatment precision, and provide patients with a more comfortable and efficient medical experience. Below are some commonly used dental digital devices in the industry:

I. Oral Digital Scanning Equipment

1. Model Scanner

A model scanner is a three-dimensional scanning device designed specifically for the dental industry. It accurately captures 3D data from dental models or impressions, which is then used with design software to create dental restorations.

Applications:

• Suitable for the digital design and production of various fixed and removable dentures.
• Average scanning speed: 16 seconds for a full arch; three-in-one scanning takes about 33 seconds.
• Scanning accuracy: 5-15μm.

Advantages:

• Strikes a balance between scanning accuracy and efficiency.
• Often uses structured blue light as the light source, ensuring clear and precise scans.

2. Intraoral Scanning Equipment

Intraoral scanners use a small optical scanning head to capture the surface morphology of dental soft and hard tissues directly within the patient’s oral cavity. These devices reconstruct real-time 3D digital models, eliminating the need for physical impressions.

Applications:

• Quickly create digital dental models in a single step.
• Widely used for crowns, bridges, implants, and orthodontic designs.

II. Oral Digital Cutting Equipment

Oral digital cutting equipment is categorized based on the number of motion axes it controls, such as three-axis, four-axis, and five-axis systems. These machines are essential for precision dental manufacturing.

Applications:

• Used for cutting personalized implant abutments, metal crowns, zirconia crowns, bridges, and glass ceramics.

Advantages:

• Advanced and mature technology ensures high processing precision across a variety of materials, including metals, ceramics, and composite resins.
• Ideal for batch production of dental prostheses with fast processing speeds.

III. Oral Digital 3D Printers

Digital 3D printing technology is transforming dental manufacturing by enabling rapid and precise fabrication of complex oral restorations and devices.

Principle:

3D printers use computer-controlled layering processes to build models layer by layer. The digital workflow transforms 3D designs into physical objects by superimposing two-dimensional layers.

Advantages:

• Overcomes traditional limitations: Enables batch production of complex dental models (e.g., RPD brackets, full denture wax-ups, implant guides) within a short time frame.
• Versatility: Quickly and accurately produces dental models, implant guides, orthodontic appliances, and more.
• Cost Efficiency: Minimizes raw material consumption by reusing unprocessed materials (e.g., resin liquid, metal powder). This significantly reduces the cost of producing dental crowns and bridges.
• Mainstream Adoption: Digital 3D printing is now the preferred method for fabricating metal-based crowns and bridges in bulk.

The adoption of digital equipment in the dental field has significantly enhanced treatment workflows, improved patient outcomes, and reduced costs for clinics and laboratories. From oral digital scanning equipment to cutting-edge 3D printing technologies, these innovations are setting new standards in precision and efficiency for the industry. As technology continues to evolve, dental professionals can expect even more advanced tools to transform the way oral healthcare is delivered.