EACH YEAR, we survey our subject matter experts, writers and magazine staff for their top picks in problem solvers, game changers and innovations. Some of these are new and exciting. Others have been around a while but keep getting better and more relevant. All are worthy of your attention. Without any further ado, here are the products that came out on top over and over during our discussions, in no particular order.
Bright(er) Idea
Sidèrea Sunlight ceiling light | FARO
We don’t do scientific testing at Incisal Edge, so we can’t confirm Faro’s claim that this new ceiling light is the first to artificially approximate the visible fraction of natural sunlight. But we love its sleek design and ability to bathe objects in revealing, unfatiguing light. Plus, it offers five different light intensities that are customizable via the Sidèrea App. Shine on!
Small Wonder
i900 scanner MEDIT
Medit has always been a value leader, but the new i900 is a true premium option. It’s 33 percent lighter and 36 percent smaller than the previous model, with a unique button-free interface and, most importantly, faster, smoother scanning. Yes, it’s wired, and we’re cool with that; the lack of internal batteries and charging components contributes to its pleasing overall weight balance.
Precocious Printers (TIE)
Form 4B 3D printer | FORMLABS
The new Form 4B combines blazing speed—up to five times faster than its predecessor—with exceptional accuracy and Formlabs’ signature ease of use. It supports fully validated workflows for more than 15 dental applications and now offers complete material freedom with Open Material Mode. We like the effortless 3D printing, automated, mess-free workflows and flexibility to print any material.
Midas 3D printer | SPRINTRAY
This is cool stuff: out-of-the-box thinking that also works straight out of the box. Midas uses Sprintray’s proprietary Digital Press Stereolithography technology to effortlessly print highly filled viscous materials. Simple, no mess: Just scan, place and press. Powered by AI-driven design, the Midas workflow is one very smart way to print restorations.
Dynamic Disc
Zirconia YML | KATANA
Speed and simplicity in one tight package. Zirconia YML is an all-in-one that can be the only product a lab or dentist needs for everything from beautiful single anterior restorations to long-span full-arch bridges. Characterized by a unique raw material combination that imbues highly translucent zirconia with high strength, Zirconia YML enables precision milling and stable shrinkage for perfectly fitting restorations—and achieves sintering in as little as 54 minutes.
Blocks That Rock (TIE)
Grandio | VOCO
VOCO’s study results show this Nano-ceramic hybrid block is the market’s strongest. While lithium disilicate or zirconia may offer a good option for extreme situations like bruxing, Grandio blocks are highly versatile, aesthetically pleasing, require no firing and offer a modulus of elasticity and thermo-cycling closest to that of natural teeth.
GC Initial LiSi Block | GC AMERICA
Capture all the advantages of lithium disilicate—strength, aesthetics and bondability—in a fully crystalized CAD block that needs no firing. Just mill, polish and place. For complex aesthetic cases, simply supplement with GC Initial Lustre Pastes ONE and GC Initial Spectrum Stains.
Buffering Made Easy
BufferPro anesthetic buffer | SEPTODONT
Until now, anesthetic buffering required either a pricey pen mixer or hand-mixing technique. But BufferPro, a collaboration between Septodont and Premier, changes everything. This affordable, single-use, one-step solution eliminates the need to buy a complicated buffering system or perfect your own mixing protocol. Full disclosure: We haven’t gotten our hands on samples yet, but we’re confident that combining Septodont’s and Premier’s industry expertise simply can’t miss.
Triple Frontier
DiagnoCam intraoral camera | KAVO
Calling this an intraoral camera is like calling the Grand Canyon a pothole. Not only does it capture three diagnostic images (transillumination, fluorescence and intraoral), but it does so in a single click. It’s always in focus, so you can capture a molar and then instantly capture a full quadrant an instant later. Plus, it integrates with most workflows using a USB connection.
Right-Sized and Supercharged
Ceramill Matron | AMANN GIRRBACH
Here’s a terrific in-betweener: fast and capable enough for laboratory environments yet not overkill for higher-volume practice labs. Matron is future-proofed to accept updates, works with an extensive range of materials, holds up to eight blanks and has a 21-inch touchscreen that guides you safely through all workflows. Best of all, it can mill CoCr and titanium with unique speed and precision.
Minimally Invasive, Maximally Versatile
LiteTouch Er:YAG laser | LIGHT INSTRUMENTS
Designed to mimic the feel and maneuverability of a traditional handpiece, LiteTouch houses the entire laser mechanism within a small chamber in the handpiece itself for direct, fiber-
free delivery of laser energy to the treated tissue. As the name implies, a light touch is all it requires, and it’s equally easy on patients throughout a wide range of clinical applications.
Sharper Looks
Viso G3 CBCT | PLANMECA
Get greater insights with one CBCT device that can handle all your extraoral imaging needs, from 2D to 3D. The Viso 3D’s inherent ease of use is enhanced by Planmeca’s exclusive CALM algorithm for motion correction and seamless software connection to all-in-one Planmeca Romexis. Planmeca Ultra Low Dose protocol reduces the effective patient dose without a statistical reduction in image quality.
Anyplace, Anytime
Enbio S rapid sterilizer | ENBIO
This truly tiny rapid sterilizer cycles from start to end around four times faster than a typical class B autoclave: just seven minutes for unwrapped instruments and 15 minutes for wrapped. It takes up less than 10 linear inches of countertop space, and because it uses portable water tanks, you can put it anywhere there’s a spare AC outlet.
Master Peace
MASTERmatic Lux M45 L handpiece | KAVO
Saying “open wider” over and over isn’t fun for you or your patients. KaVo’s new MASTERmatic Lux M45 L’s 42-degree head angle with 100-degree knee angle lets you access the posterior region with substantially greater ease. Plus, it runs cool and quiet while delivering 168,000 rpm of cutting performance. It’s a master class in peace of mind.
Mighty, Small
Lexa Mini rapid sterilizer | W&H
This compact rapid sterilizer delivers full-size performance in as little as
23 minutes, with wrapped, unwrapped, cassette and low-temperature loads with closed-door drying for bone-dry loads and fresh water for every cycle. It’s the perfect solution for fast sterilization or backup use. Though it’s available in a three-liter model for two cassettes, we like the five-liter model given that it has greater capacity in the same basic footprint.
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