Intraoral Scanner
An intraoral scanner is a handheld device that captures 3D digital impressions of teeth and oral structures, creating STL files that can be sent directly to dental laboratories for manufacturing.
Intraoral scanners are transforming the relationship between dental clinics and laboratories by digitizing the impression-taking process.
**How it works:** 1. The dentist scans the patient's teeth with a handheld wand 2. Software stitches images into a full 3D model 3. The digital impression (STL file) is exported 4. The file is sent to the lab electronically
**Benefits over traditional impressions:** - No messy impression materials for patients - Instant quality checking at chair-side - No shipping delays — files sent electronically - No material distortion or damage during transport - Easy retakes of specific areas
**Popular dental intraoral scanners:** - 3Shape TRIOS - Dentsply Sirona Primescan - iTero Element - Medit i700 - Carestream CS 3800
**Impact on dental labs:** Labs receiving digital impressions need systems to handle STL file reception, storage, and routing to production. Dentaron's Transfer module provides a customer portal where clinics upload scans directly, with automatic pricing and production queue assignment.
Related: stl-file, dental-impression, cad-cam-dentistry, 3d-printing-dentistry