The 3Shape Discover event was big.
The company just announced some news that we think is going to have a large impact on the intraoral scanner market.
There were four announcements that happened at 3Shape's Discover event that we have covered below for you.
1. An Updated TRIOS 3 - the Invisalign connection is that important.
2. TRIOS Core – brand-new and the lowest cost TRIOS intraoral scanner yet - built on TRIOS 3.
3. Unite Software 3rd gen – this new software release brings all scans to the cloud.
4. TRIOS Ready Tips – single use scanning tips for the TRIOS 5 only.
We've put together a video covering all the releases.
If you'd like more in-depth details, keep reading!
The 3Shape Portfolio.
Left to Right - TRIOS CORE, TRIOS 3 (old version), TRIOS 3 (updated), TRIOS 4 and TRIOS 5
A Refreshed TRIOS 3
The TRIOS 3 has been out since 2015, so it really was due for a makeover.
3Shape has delivered and updated the scanner, giving it a more modern feel with this new 'Twilight Titanium' colorway.
This is updated TRIOS 3 not a new scanner.
The same exact TRIOS 3 scanner scanner but with some updated quality of life improvements and a newer aesthetic.
One notable change is that the company updated the scanner button design and redesigned the scanner for improved cooling.
Before the TRIOS 3 scanner button was a silicon piece. Now it is more of a designated button and should be easier to clean.
The TRIOS 3 hardware remains exactly the same once again.
The biggest improvement is to he TRIOS 3 pod which has also been redesigned, making it 10% smaller, 30% lighter and powered by a USB-C cord; no external power supply is needed anymore.
So why did 3Shape decide to refresh the TRIOS 3? Simple - Invisalign.
To send scans to Invisalign you have to use iTero scanners or CEREC Omnicam (not ideal for full arch scanning)
However, outside of North America, China and Japan, you can also use TRIOS 3. In a bit of a legal quirk.
No other TRIOS scanner is accepted for Invisalign, including TRIOS 5. This is really advantageous for 3Shape, as you can imagine.
So in order to continue this compatibility, 3Shape have updated and refreshed the scanner, and relaunched it for 2024.
The updated TRIOS 3 will be sold for 16.900 € / 17,400 USD.
Everything else is the same. Wired scanner. Requires calibration. Autoclavable scanner tips. 340 grams weight.
One thing to note is that this new TRIOS 3 will not be wireless. T3 wireless is being phased out and if you want a wireless scanner you will need to get the TRIOS 4 or the (amazing) TRIOS 5.
TRIOS Core - An Affordable Scan and Send Option
This is a 'new' scanner announced at 3Shape's Discover event. Well, kind of.
The TRIOS Core is a 'simplified' version of the TRIOS 3 at a new low cost.
The idea is that this scanner is perfect for dentists who are just looking to scan and then send to their lab.
It is basically the same hardware as the TRIOS 3, but at a low-cost.
So the TRIOS CORE is the same size as the TRIOS 3, uses the same scanner tips, has the same inclusions in the box etc.
One difference in terms of hardware is that TRIOS CORE captures a minimum of 1400 images per second compared to the TRIOS 3’s 1875, and TRIOS 5's 2400. This seems like more of a software cap, just like Medit cap the i600 to 30 FPS.
The other difference between TRIOS 3 and TRIOS CORE is that there is no PMS integration and CORE doesn’t have Move+ compatability. It is only a laptop scanner.
Another difference is that the CORE does not have any patient engagement apps - no smile design, ortho simulator etc - it’s a super simple scanner for people who want the TRIOS scan quality without the high-price tag.
Lastly, the final and argubably most important difference is that TRIOS CORE does NOT have Invisalign integration. Unlike the updated TRIOS 3. This will likely be the factor to choose one or the other.
The TRIOS CORE is priced at 12,400 Euro / USD. The lowest cost TRIOS scanner ever released.
This is big news and is a very good indication of where 3Shape’s mind and business strategy is. This company is taking on the economical end of the market head on.
Note: it is still a fully open scanner and will work just as well as the TRIOS 3. Perfect for those who are on a budget and want a TRIOS scanner or those who just want a scan and send to the lab option with no fancy stuff.
3Shape Unite 3rd Generation - Access Scans Anywhere
The Discover event also saw the announcement that the 3rd Generation of Unite will be rolling out progressively worldwide.
This is one of the largest updates to the 3Shape software ever.
Essentially everything is going to go on a cloud platform. Before this update, all TRIOS scans were stored locally or on servers. Which was actually quite annoying especially if you ran multiple different sites with TRIOS scanners...
3Shape is going one step further, not just offering a cloud for sending scans, but reworking its apps. With this new update, clinicians can access and work with their digital impressions and patient cases anywhere via mobile, tablet, or desktop - all thanks to the new cloud storage update.
Wherever you make changes to the files, this will automatically synchronize. So you can take 3Shape scans, open up the iPad app - take some photos, upload, and it will all be in the same patient file across all your devices and scanners.
“3Shape Unite 3rd Generation transforms how dental professionals work with patient data. Having cases and scans up on the cloud with 3Shape means you can manage cases on the go, even from your mobile. Cloud storage also helps to eliminate concerns regarding hard drive storage, server management, or disaster recovery for dentists,” says 3Shape CTO Niclas Blohm.
Having a reliable backup of scans is absolutely massive; it’s great to see 3Shape finally joining the movement by getting everything on the cloud and ultimately giving users what they want. Cloud platforms are the future for sure. Medit popularised this and spearheaded this early on - nice to see this coming to TRIOS.
As mentioned above, as part of the update, 3Shape has released a new mobile app called 3Shape Unite Cloud, which allows you to upload photos directly onto the platform via your mobile device, track case progress, and communicate directly with labs from your mobile device. 3Shape has a great video, which you can view below, that explains how everything works.
TRIOS Ready Tips - Single Use for TRIOS 5.
The fourth and final release we got from the Discover event are the TRIOS Ready Tips, which are single use tips for the TRIOS 5.
3Shape will now offer 2 types of scanning tips. One is an autoclavable scanning tip which we're all used to by now. These come in a box of 3 for approximately $300 USD. This means that each scanner tip costs around $100 USD and can be autoclaved up to 100 times, so around 1 dollar per patient scan.
Or these new TRIOS Ready single use tips, which come in box of 25 that costs 75 USD. This means around 3 USD per tip or per patient. This is quite interesting as the only other company that really pushes a single use tip is iTero. But they do not have an autoclavable option.
So why a single use tip? Well the company says that 47% of their users agree that workflows with a single use tip are easier than an autoclave tip. I personally don’t mind either way, as I have used autoclave tips for years, ever since I started scanning, but I do think sometimes a single use tip would be extremely useful. For example, any time I would need to use the scanner outside of the practice - e.g. some clinicians visit rest homes to scan patients.
What Does This Mean for Digital Dentistry?
I’m a big fan of TRIOS scanners, but it’s no secret that they’re some of the most expensive on the market.
While you certainly get what you pay for, for many dental professionals, the price barrier is just too high. This partly explains the explosion in uptake of affordable Korean and Chinese scanners in recent years.
More and more companies - like Medit for example - are offering more affordable scanners as part of their portfolio. This obviously allows them to capture more market share by creating products that can capture customers who have different budgets.
It’s pretty clear that this is the direction that 3Shape is going in. These new scanners are a great way to offer an affordable option to dentists while still retaining the premium offering of the TRIOS 5.
Also let us not forgot, 3Shape has one of the best brands in the intraoral scanner market. TRIOS is highly respected and by offering this at a low cost - it is going to be very interesting to what it means for other scanners in this 12,000 USD price bracket.
So, what does this mean for you?
Well, with any market, competition between manufacturers is a great thing for the consumer. It pushes prices down, gives you more options to choose from, and introduces more products into the market.
To cut a long story short, it’s a really exciting time to be using intraoral scanners and adopting digital dentistry.