August 20, 2018

This is a summary table based on the in-depth CAD/CAM Titans comparison article

CAD/CAM Scanners Compared

3Shape TrioS

Scanning Speed

Scanner Size & Weight

Larger Scanning Head

340 grams

Ergonomic Design

Inbuilt Heater

(Helps avoid scanner fogging during scanning)

Full Arch Scanning

Ease of Use

3Shape TrioS

Design Tools

Automatic Design Proposals

Software Reliability

Configuration Options

Cart

USB

Wireless

Open or Closed Architecture

STL Import

STL Export

Cost

$$$

Yearly Fees / Subscriptions

Annual subscription for base system and add-on design modules

Planmeca Emerald

Scanning Speed

Scanner Size & Weight

Largest Scanning Head

240 grams

Ergonomic Design

Inbuilt Heater

(Helps avoid scanner fogging during scanning)

Full Arch Scanning

Ease of Use

Planmeca Emerald

Design Tools

Automatic Design Proposals

Software Reliability

Configuration Options

Cart

USB

Wireless

Open or Closed Architecture

STL Import

STL Export

Cost

$$$

Yearly Fees / Subscriptions

None

CAD/CAM Milling Machines Compared

Roland DWX-4W

Milling Speed

Maintenance Requirements

High

Milling Quality

Wet or Dry Milling

Wet

Dry

Ease of Use

Cost

$$$

Planmill 40/E4D Mill

Milling Speed

Maintenance Requirements

Medium

Milling Quality

Wet or Dry Milling

Wet

Dry

Ease of Use

Cost

$$$

About the author 

Dr Ahmad Al-Hassiny is a globally recognised leader in digital dentistry, intraoral scanning, 3D printing, and CAD/CAM, and the Director of the Institute of Digital Dentistry (iDD), a world-leading digital dentistry education provider. A full-time private dentist in New Zealand and international Key Opinion Leader for many of the industry’s leading companies, he is one of the few clinicians worldwide to personally own, test, and compare virtually every mainstream intraoral scanner and CAD/CAM system in real-world clinical practice. Beyond education, Dr Ahmad works within his family-owned dental business in Wellington, New Zealand, which operates 43 dental operatories, alongside a full-service digital dental laboratory with six technicians and a clear aligner manufacturing company. This unique combination of clinical dentistry, education, laboratory workflows, manufacturing, and extensive hands-on technology testing gives him a practical, independent perspective on how digital dentistry performs and scales in the real world.


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