Wednesday, December 28, 2022
As 2022 comes to an end, it’s time to take a look back at the products and dental news that shaped the year.
It’s no surprise that news on emerging technologies, such as dental mills and intraoral scanners, were popular articles in 2022. More dentists are interested in offering same-day dentistry, and finding the right chairside mill and scanner is key to making that happen.
Our readers also were interested to learn about Carestream Dental’s technology business being bought by Envista. The scanners are now part of the DEXIS Intraoral Scanning (IS) portfolio, and many dentists wanted to know what the transition would be like and what it all meant for them. Envista’s rebranding of its KaVo products to DEXIS was another hot topic.
Articles on clear aligners, laser-assisted irrigation, nutrition and preventing cyberattacks round out our top 10. Here’s another look at our most-read posts in case you missed them:
10. New Dental Product: NeoScan 1000 Intraoral Scanner From Neoss Group
We start our top 10 list with a new intraoral scanner, the NeoScan™ 1000. The accurate, portable scanner is compact and lightweight. The open system allows for a flexible workflow and makes it easy to share output among team members. This scanner is also cost effective, which is important for dentists looking to incorporate a new digital workflow into their practice or those looking to add another scanner.
9. Quick Picks: Chairside Milling Systems for Same-Day Dentistry
These days, more offices are investing in chairside mills to offer same-day dentistry to their patients. A mill is a big purchase, making it important to get it right. This article shows side-by-side comparisons of the options, including CEREC Primemill, PlanMill 50 S, CEREC MC X, Plan Mill 35 and the IOS TS150. If you’re in the market for a mill, this article can help you decide what might work best for your patients and your practice.
8. 3Shape Introducing Model Maker App, Dental Practice Management Software Integrations and 3Shape Automate at Lab Day 2022
3Shape launched three new AI and cloud solutions at Lab Day 2022, and Dentalcompare readers wanted to learn all about them. The solutions are designed to make digital dentistry more efficient, a top concern for many dental professionals right now. They include dental practice management software integration with the 3Shape Unite platform, making it possible to automate patient management.
The free Model Maker app, also introduced at Lab Day, enables both 3Shape TRIOS intraoral scanner and 3Shape Studio app users to instantly convert digital impressions into dental models via AI. It’s included with 3Shape TRIOS and TRIOS Design Studio, Splint Studio and Implant Studio.
7. How Vulnerable is Your Practice to Cyberattacks?
As cyberattacks become more common and sophisticated, dentists want to know how to protect themselves. Cyberattacks can cause a lot of headaches and damage to a practice and to patients, making it critical to take the proper steps to avoid them.
Dentalcompare held a webinar along with Carestream Dental addressing this topic in 2022, and this article promotes it. If you haven’t yet seen the webinar, “Know Your Enemy: Staying Ahead of Cybercriminals,” now is a great time to check it out. Carestream Dental’s Global Information Security Officer (GISO) John Bruggemann provides an overview of the threat activity in the health care sector and walks through the anatomy of an attack and how to mitigate it. After watching the webinar, you’ll have a better understanding of the enemy and how to prepare your office to avoid cybercrime.
6. 5 Bite-Sized Nutritional Messages for Your Patients
We all know how nutritional choices can impact patients’ oral health, but there’s not always time to educate patients on this during their dental appointment. In this article, Karen Davis, RDH, BSDH, breaks down five simple messages you can start teaching your patients today, from talking with them about only indulging on sweets during special occasions to introducing the 3-bite rule. Sharing these quick tips will help keep your patients’ mouths healthier in 2023 and beyond.
5. New Dental Product: PlanMill® 35 Milling Unit From Planmeca
Planmeca introduced its most recent chairside mill, the PlanMill 35 in March. It’s part of the Planmeca FIT® CAD/CAM System, which also includes the company’s Emerald S intraoral scanner and PlanCad software. The unit can mill crowns, inlays, onlays, veneers and up to 3-unit bridges. It can be easily changed from wet to dry milling and offers fast mill times for a variety of materials, including zirconia. The mill also has an open architecture platform, making it easy to integrate with other technology.
4. Carestream Dental Sells Scanning Technology Business to Envista
Back in January, Carestream Dental entered into an agreement to sell the company’s Scanning Technology business to Envista Holding Corporation for $600 million. This includes the CS 3600, CS 3700 and CS 3800 intraoral scanners and related software, with Carestream continuing to operate its imaging technology, clinical software and practice management software businesses. Carestream announced the company will continue to focus investments and efforts in the dental cloud and technology solutions market moving forward.
As many of our readers own these systems, they were interested in the sale and what it meant for them. The scanners are now part of the DEXIS Intraoral Scanning (IS) portfolio and have been renamed to the IS 3600, the IS 3700 and the IS 3800W, which is the newest wireless version.
3. Dentsply Sirona Adds 3 New Products to its SureSmile Clear Aligner System
More dentists are starting to offer clear aligner therapy in their offices, so of course they're interested when new products and systems become available. Earlier this year, Dentsply Sirona added three products to its SureSmile clear aligner system: SureSmile® VPro™, SureSmile® Retainers and the SureSmile™ Whitening Kit. The additions are designed to provide patients with a better experience and make it possible for dentists to offer a more comprehensive treatment approach. Check out the article to learn more about the new offerings.
2. Envista Rebrands KaVo Imaging Business As DEXIS
Envista had a busy year, also announcing a rebrand of its KaVo imaging business to DEXIS. This means the DEXIS brand now represents a full portfolio of imaging and digital solutions including cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), handheld x-rays, intraoral scanners, sensors and navigated surgical solutions. The portfolio includes i-CAT, Gendex, Instrumentarium, SOREDEX and NOMAD. Dentists who use these imaging devices can now leverage the new diagnostics and treatment planning software suite DTX Studio to access all clinical patient images in one place.
1. New Dental Product: EdgePRO Laser-Assisted Microfluidic Irrigation Device From BIOLASE and EdgeEndo
The most popular news item of the year outlines a partnership between BIOLASE and EdgeEndo. The companies received FDA 510(K) Clearance for the EdgePRO Laser-Assisted Microfluidic Irrigation Device For Endodontists. The device is built on BIOLASE’s Er,Cr:YSGG 2780 nm wavelength laser technology and provides a more effective cleaning and disinfection alternative for root canal procedures.
BIOLASE manufactures the EdgePRO system, consumable procedure tips and accessories for EdgeEndo, while EdgeEndo sells the EdgePRO system and related products within the U.S.
That wraps up our top 10 list for 2022. We look forward to bringing you more dental news in 2023, and are excited to see what advancements the industry will come up with next. Check the website often to stay up to date.