iDD Compares: Runyes 3DS 3.0 vs. Medit i700 Wireless in Implant Dentistry

iDD is back yet again with another intraoral scanner (IOS) comparison. 

This time, Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny used two IOS to assess their performance when capturing images of the same implant patient, focusing on the scan body and the surrounding soft tissue.

Here at the Institute of Digital Dentistry, we are fortunate to have access to a wide selection of IOS devices. For this particular case comparison, scans were taken using Medit’s i700 Wireless and Runyes’ 3DS 3.0.

Scans in their Native Software

As we all know by now (or maybe you don’t as you’re new to intraoral scanning), every scanner captures color slightly differently depending on how accurately the scanner is able to pick up the light bouncing back off the prep and adjacent teeth.

Every intraoral scanner available comes with its native scanning software. Using AI, they often filter out scan irregularities such as movable soft tissues, cheeks, and tongue.

In the series of pictures below, you will see multiple images with a focus on the scan body and soft tissue, both in color and monochrome as previewed in their native software. 

As you can see, there aren’t significant deviations in color, with only a slight difference in the scan brightness observed with the Runyes 3DS 3.0 scan.

Exported Scans in Third-Party Software

Most intraoral scanners consist of an open architecture to allow for scans to be exported and sent to labs. These scans are usually exported in three various formats - STL, PLY, or OBJ files.

Both IOS devices, Medit i700 W and Runyes 3DS 3.0 are capable of exporting scans in all three file formats - STL, PLY, and OBJ.

STL files export as monochromatic scans whereas OBJ and PLY files store color and texture. Not all intraoral scanners are able to export OBJ and/or PLY files whereas STL files are widely used across the market as a default setting. As we can see from the table above, OBJ file format had the largest MB size for Runyes 3DS 3.0 in both scanning surfaces (scan body and scan tissue). OBJ files can contain detailed information like color and texture as well as more complex geometric information such as curves and surfaces, like a scan body in this case. Because of this, it is preferable to use an OBJ file with more complex dental structures to store this type of information.

Labs use third-party CAD software (in our comparison’s case we used Medit Design) to preview the received STL, PLY, or OBJ files and create restorations based on these scans. By exporting the scans outside their native software, we are able to view the scans objectively without the customized color and optimized surface rendering of the individual scanner’s built-in software. 

Below, you can also see the exported STL files in third-party software, Medit Design, with and without the tessellated mesh.  

The comparison between the tessellated mesh of each scan is very slight but the Runyes 3DS scan seems to be more dense than the scan of the Medit i700 W. This could reflect on the scan size of the file formats however does not necessarily mean it is more accurate.

An additional tip for those using Medit intraoral scanners - when exporting your implant scans, you may notice that the Medit scan body scan appears to be more patchy and complete. This is a workflow issue, as there's a specific way to export such files from the Medit Link software. This is done by checking the "Combine Individual Mesh" option in the Export window before exporting the files. 

Scan Accuracy

With Runyes as our point of reference, we can view the deviations of its scan to the Medit i700 W scan when aligned using Medit Design’s Deviation Display mode. Based on the colored deviation key, we can see that the scan meshes are -0.050 to +0.050 mm deviation compared to the scan taken with Runyes 3DS 3.0.

Within the same Display mode, we can view the aligned scans in a sectional view in which we can see minimal differences between the scans.

Conclusion

iDD objectively tests and reviews intraoral scanners to help other dental professionals form their opinions. We hope posts like this help answer some of your questions and help you make a more informed purchase.

That said, if there is anything else you would like us to post, let us know in the comments below. 

Which IOS or type of cases would you like to see next?