So you have narrowed down your options and have decided on getting a Medit Intraoral Scanner.
The question now is which Medit scanner do you choose to invest in?
I frequently get asked, "should I buy a Medit i500 or Medit i700"?
So I decided to make this post to demystify the differences between these two intraoral scanners to make the decision easier for you. i500 vs. i700?
Is there a significant difference between the two models?
Update: Medit has now released 2 new scanners! See how they all compare here.
Let's find out.
Background about the Medit i500 and Medit i700
The Medit i500 was the Medit company's first intraoral scanner and was released in late 2018. At the time, it made waves in the scanner market worldwide. Their latest scanner, the Medit i700, was released in April 2021.
Initially, the company branded the i500 as the 'easy entry into digital dentistry'. This terminology has now changed to 'reimaging scanning' with the i700.
Both scanners use the same software (Medit Link), and both have access to an extensive range of Medit Apps. They both are not accepted by Invisalign (as is the case with most scanners on the market now except iTero).
Medit scanners do not have CAD software at this stage and are only used to scan and export scans. Medit Design, the new app included in the software does have some rudimentary CAD tools and this is likely to be developed into a fully-fledged CAD software in the future. For now, however, if you want to carry out the entire digital workflow in-house (which we advocate), you will need to investigate and learn about third-party mills and CAD design software such as Exocad.
Medit i500 (left) and Medit i700 (right)
Medit Scanner Price Difference
The RRP of the Medit i700 is $18,000 USD
The RRP of the Medit i500 is $12,000 USD
Keep in mind that the cost of the Medit scanners does not include a computer to run them. You can expect to spend anywhere between $3000-$5000 on a high-performance PC or laptop.
The other cost to keep in mind is scanner tips.
Cost of scanner tips:
Medit i700 (box of 4) = $300 USD = $75 per scanner tip
Medit i500 (box of 4) = $240 USD = $60 per scanner tip
Autoclave cycles:
Medit i700 scanner tip = 150 autoclave cycles (0.75 USD per patient)
Medit i500 scanner tip = 50 autoclave cycles (1.20 USD per patient)
Medit Subscription fees?
Both the i500 and i700 have no subscription fees.
The Medit Link software has 1 GB of free cloud storage for your scans. If you require more space, there is a cost for additional cloud storage. Although this is not mandatory, if you are thinking of storing cases on the cloud long term, it will need to be considered.
More cloud storage can be purchased via Medit. 10TB for just $0.99. Alternatively, you can remove any cases from the cloud and keep them stored externally if you wish to stay within the free limit.
Medit i700 vs Medit i500 - What's the difference?
So the Medit i700 scanner costs $6000 more than the Medit i500 scanner, what are the advantages?
Here is a list of advantages of the i700 when compared to the older model i500:
Medit i700 (top) and Medit i500 (bottom)
There are many improvements to the i700 compared to the i500. My favorite improvement by far is the USB C cable connection alone. Instead of requiring a power box and power cable, the Medit i700 directly connects to a computer with one USB C cable. This doesn't sound like much, but it is a significant quality of life improvement and declutters the workspace.
What's the downsides of the Medit i700 compared to Medit i500?
Well, not a lot. Apart from the more expensive price tag, you will also need to consider that a good computer can run the i500, but you will need a great computer to run the i700. So there is a little more expense in that department.
For those of you who can afford a few thousand more, I would highly recommend going for the Medit i700 for the performance improvements alone but also the huge quality of life improvement via the single cable connection.
For those of you on a tight budget, the Medit i500 is still a great scanner and works well - however it is set to be replaced by the i600.
Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. Cheers!