Dental Products Report 2023 Spring Selection – Round 3

With the competing products trimmed down to a tidy 16, the Dental Products Report 2023 Spring Selection rolls on into the 3rd round of voting.

We've reached the 3rd round of the Dental Products Report® 2023 Spring Selection with the continuing trends of seeds meaning next to nothing, and products of all types moving forward.

At the start of round 3 a pair of top seeds remain, but 7 of the 16 products were double digit seeds. It's truly any product's game at this point, but there are some emerging trends and notable Round 2 performances.

Read on to find out about the latest round of matchups and vote for the products you want to see advance to the finals of each Quadrant.

Upper Left Quadrant

Seed 8 Vs. Seed 4

The Medit i700 Wireless offers a smooth and quick scanning experience backed by 60-Ghz wireless technology. All-day scanning is supported by a single battery with 1 hour of continuous scanning and up to 8 hours in standby. The camera captures up to 70 frames per second and features a reversible tip and wider scanning area, for easy, comfortable scanning at any angle.

OnX Tough is indicated for 3D printing dental prosthetics and utilizes SprintRay’s NanoFusion™ technology designed to help the resin deliver esthetic and durable dental prosthetics through its formulation of dense polymer chains. This durable resin is designed for same-day, chairside dentistry working with SprintRay’s digital workflows for maximum efficiency.

This matchup pits Medit's i700 Wireless intraoral scanner up against one of SprintRay's standout 3D print resins. The i700 Wireless is designed to make digital dentistry accessible and efficient. Meanwhile, OnX Tough features breakthrough chemistry for enhanced printed dentures.

Who marches on, the wireless scanner or the durable print resin?

Seed 11 Vs. Seed 7

Columbia Dentoform by DENTALEZ®’s new surgical manikin, Surgio, is designed to offer dental students the kind of realism that bolsters their accuracy, particularly with simulated bone densities. Surgio’s oral cavity has lifelike soft tissue and accurate bone density, allowing dental students and continuing education learners to get hands-on experience with placing, tightening, and loosening implants as well as restorative work.

Dragonfly is a powered loupe with a wireless headlight fully integrated into the eyewear frame. It is designed to seamlessly combine Orascoptic’s industry-leading optics and award-winning headlight into a single, lightweight product. All electronics and batteries are completely contained within the custom-built frame itself, so there are no visible wires or cables. Clinicians can customize their Dragonfly with multiple magnification powers, different carrier lens shapes, and a variety of colors.

Dental Loupes were strong performers in Round 1, and Orascoptic's Dragonfly, with its integrated lighting, continues that trend marching into Round 3. However, here is meets up with Surgio, the dental training model from DENTALEZ with a bevy of realistic features.

Who takes the match, Surgio or the Dragonfly?

Lower Left Quadrant

Seed 1 Vs. Seed 5

The 3M Filtek Matrix is an anterior restorative solution that makes composite placement less stressful and more predictable for dentists and more affordable for their patients. With today’s dental patients looking for less invasive options to improve their smile at a price they can afford, this new custom matrix system is said to make composite placement less stressful and more predictable, eliminating the stress of free-hand shaping. This efficiency can help reduce chair time, enabling faster and more simplified procedures.

The Infinity VUE Loupes are designed to provide a straightforward approach to ergonomics and are available in 3.0×, 3.5× and 4.5x magnification. Infinity VUE (Vision up Ergonomics) is said to keep practitioners’ chins up, necks straight, and eyes forward while viewing the oral cavity. By changing the positioning of the internal prisms, these loupes allow you to see intraorally without having to bend your neck. Mounted on a Steam frame and with the side shields attached, the VUE Loupes weigh 3.2 oz.

One of the surviving top seeds, the 3M Filtek Matrix finds itself facing off against another pair of loupes to make it to Round 3. The Infinity VUE loupes from Designs For Vision feature ergonomic lenses. So can 3M's system for easier anterior composites stay in the game, or will Designs For Vision survive and advance once again?

Who moves forward, the esthetic matrix or the ergonomic loupes?

Seed 14 Vs. Seed 15

OraPharma’s OraFit custom clear aligner system is indicated for malocclusion and misalignment correction using materials in a 3-layer design for better esthetics and more comfort. The plastic material used to create the OraFit custom aligners is said to be more crack resistant and to maintain clarity for longer. Included in the system is an online resource for dental professionals to submit clear aligners cases and approve treatment plans. OraFit will benefit patients who may be reluctant to use clear aligners for the sake of esthetics.

Polaroid HealthCare has announced that they will distribute the HuLaser K2 Mobile Cordless Diode Laser. It is lightweight at 135 g, including the battery, and cordless. This diode laser has 22 preset programs and 4 memory settings for clinician convenience. It is designed to be efficient, durable, and powerful with 3.5 watts of continuous power and up to 6 watts pulse. It features autoclavable optic fibers, aluminum front cap, and silicone front covers, which are cost effective and hygienic. The K2 laser is available through any Polaroid HealthCare full service dealer.

In this unlikely matchup of teen seeds, OraPharma's OraFit clear aligners advanced thanks to a tie-breaking coin toss, whereas the K2 Mobile diode laser was able to advance do to an outright win. One of these products is heading to the Quadrant finals next week, but wich will it be?

Who wins the matchup clear aligners or a portable laser?

Upper Right Quadrant

Seed 9 Vs. Seed 12

Overjet has received 510(k) clearance for its Caries Assist, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered dental caries detection and outlining software for chairside aid and patient communication. Overjet Caries Assist is designed to allow clinicians to detect caries accurately and reduces the rate of missed lesions (false negatives). To demonstrate the validity of the software, Overjet analyzed more than 7000 tooth surfaces. With this technology, Overjet will support clinicians to be more effective and efficient by presenting them with accurate findings, identifying anatomical structures and common pathologies, and providing instant visualizations while improving patient-dentist communication.

This new mill features an automatic 6-disc changer with 50% faster exchange and a 15-station automatic tool changer called Intelligent Tool Control. The DWX-53DC features a new 4-mm tool, allowing 30% faster roughing of PMMA than 3-mm tools. The mill contains a camera that works with VPanel and DGSHAPE Cloud software, combining these features to create a sleek, sturdy, streamlined product, according to the manufacturer. The DWX-53DC is designed with lab space in mind, making it suitable for smaller spaces. It also features automatic machine calibration, automatic air pressure control, and a replaceable spindle.

Dental mills started off the competition with a bang, but that did not continue into Round 2, as Overjet's Caries Assist artificial intelligence (AI) imaging application defeated the latest manufacturing solution from Amann Girrbach. But there's no escaping the mill for this software title as in Round 3 it matches up against the latest solution from Roland DGSHAPE.

Can the AI solution overcome another milling system?

Seed 14 Vs. Seed 7

izzo is an innovative new direct-to-consumer initiative designed to elevate at-home oral care. Described as the first and only 4-in-1 oral care system that goes significantly beyond the typical toothbrush, the kit delivers healthy confidence. In addition to a state-of-the-art oscillating toothbrush with 3 speeds, the kit includes a unique polishing system designed to safely and effectively remove stains for brighter, whiter smiles and a cleaner, healthier mouth—which studies show can boost confidence to look and feel one’s best. The kit also includes a scaler to remove debris and soft plaque from hard-to-reach areas on and between teeth, as well as a UVC sanitizer case designed to kill germs that can linger on a brush head between uses.

DentBird Crown is an automatic crown design module that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to automatically generates a crown prosthesis design in seconds based on a patient’s 3D scan data. The technology automatically finds the tooth that requires crown design by examining the dental 3D scan data. At the same time, it identifies the margin line between the tooth and gum and suggests an optimized margin line for the prosthesis. Then, it creates an optimal crown design in a matter of seconds after taking into consideration the surrounding and antagonist teeth.

Another product category that is perfoming well thus far is the powered toothbrushes. In this case it's the izzo home care system from Premier Dental that is defying seed and advancing, but now it too must match up with an AI application as DentBird's free AI-powered CAD solution also advanced past Round 2. Can izzo beat the Bird?

Will it be the brush or the bird?

Lower Right Quadrant

Seed 1 Vs. Seed 12

Primeprint for dental practices and laboratories is the first of a new generation of Dentsply Sirona devices designed to transform digital dentistry. With a simplified, automated printing process, this new 3D printing solution makes it easy to manufacture patient-specific and biocompatible appliances. The printer uses digital light processing technology by which resins are polymerized using UV light. The light projector hardens the resin layer by layer. Primeprint as a 3D printing solution also automates the postprocessing of printed objects, which previously would have required complex, messy, and time-consuming manual work.

Available in a variety of sizes and colors, Perfect Touch Micro Applicator Brushes are used for placing etchants, sealants, and bonding agents. These brushes are bendable in any direction to allow precise application in hard-to-reach areas. The fibers hold solutions, so there is no spilling, dripping, or waste. Disposable and intended for single use, the brushes have a lint-free brush tip, are nonabsorbent, and give optimal access to difficult areas. Perfect Touch Micro Applicator Brushes come in tubes containing 100 brushes and are offered in purple (fine), yellow (regular), green (regular), and blue (large).

This Round 3 faceoff might be one of the most unusual matchups we've seen, and based on past performance, it also might be one of the most difficult to predict. Dentsply Sirona's Primeprint 3D printing solution has stood behind its top seed status with a strong performance in each of the first 2 rounds. Now it must overcome a small but mighty entry as Dental Creations' Perfect Touch Micro Applicator Brushes continue to find strong support as well.

What moves on the printer or the brushes?

Seed 6 Vs. Seed 15

The new Oral-B iO Series 10 is a rechargeable electric toothbrush featuring iO Sense technology. The iO 10 offers live coaching directly on its charger for guid-ance on time, pressure, and coverage without needing to bring a smartphone into the bathroom. Its clock and timer help users brush for the recommended 2 minutes. All user data syncs to the Oral-B app for deeper insights into brushing habits. The iO 10 also features 7 different cleaning modes for a more personalized experience. The series also includes the iO Series 4 and iO Series 5 toothbrushes. Each brush features multiple brushing modes to personalize the brushing experience. The iO 5 can also provide users with real-time coverage tracking and coaching via the Oral-B app.

The Proxeo Twist and Proxeo Twist Cordless systems offer greater freedom of movement during prophylaxis or periodontitis treatment. Both units have unique Prophy Angle cups designed for an optimum polishing experience. The new Proxeo Twist Rotary Polishing System is a compact, easy-to-handle solution for cleaning, polishing, or fluoridating. The line of air-driven handpieces offers a lightweight solution for dental units. With its easy swiveling between motor and attachment, it adapts to the position needed in the oral cavity. The unit can be disinfected and sterilized.

The final matchup of Round 3 is among the most fun as we have a battle between brushing at home, and in the practice. Few Spring Selection matchups are head to head between similar products, and this definitely not that. Still it's Oral-B's top tier home care solution facing W&H's latest prophy handpiece, and for the Spring Selection, this might be as head to head as it gets.

Does the smart brush continue to win or will it be stopped by a prophy handpiece?