For Dentists
Buying Guides.
Buying guides that help dentists compare equipment and materials. These are the guides our editorial team has rewritten and Dr. Sean Myran, DMD has reviewed.
How we rank explains how these product lists are ordered.
Product guides to open first
Lab materials and chairside instruments practices compare before they buy. The rest of the archive follows.
Impression Materials: How to Choose
How to choose among alginate, addition silicone (VPS/PVS), and polyether: what each class records, how moisture and pour time change the cast, and which standard applies.
Dental Loupe Headlamps: How to Choose
How to choose a loupe headlamp: a mount that fits the frame, a pack or a cordless light, and how Designs for Vision, Orascoptic, and Lumadent differ.
Dental Operating Microscopes: How to Choose
How to choose a dental operating microscope: the mount, the magnification steps, and how Zeiss, Global, and Zumax differ from loupes.
Dental Intraoral X-ray Units: How to Choose
How to choose an intraoral x-ray unit: a wall arm or a handheld, a DC generator, and how Veraview, ProX, and NOMAD differ.
Dental Phosphor Plate Systems: How to Choose
How to choose a phosphor plate system: reusable plates, a reader that is not the x-ray head, and how ScanX, Xios, and Pspix differ.
Dental Endodontic Motors: How to Choose
How to choose an endodontic motor: rotary or reciprocating, cordless or with a built-in apex locator, and how Morita, X-Smart, and NSK differ.
Dental Implant Motors: How to Choose
How to choose an implant motor: torque control, saline irrigation, and how W&H, NSK, Aseptico, and Bien-Air differ.
Dental Porcelain Furnaces: How to Choose
How to choose a porcelain furnace: pressing, firing, and zirconia sintering are different machines, including Programat, Dekema, and Whip Mix.
Dental Amalgam Separators: How to Choose
How to choose an amalgam separator: central or chairside, canister recycling, and how Solmetex, Rebec, Dürr, and Metasys differ.
Dental Instrument Washers: How to Choose
How to choose a dental instrument washer: cassette capacity, drying, and how SciCan HYDRIM, Melag, and Miele differ.
Dental Operator Stools: How to Choose
How to choose a dental stool: doctor versus assistant, seat height, and how A-dec, Midmark, Brewer, and Crown Seating differ.
Dental Cabinets: How to Choose
How to choose dental cabinets: treatment room versus sterilization center, and how A-dec, Midmark, Pelton & Crane, and DentalEZ differ.
Dental Ultrasonic Scalers: How to Choose
How to choose an ultrasonic scaler: magnetostrictive versus piezo, and how Cavitron, Acteon, EMS, and NSK differ.
Dental CBCT Systems: How to Choose
How to choose a dental CBCT: field of view, voxel size, 2D modes, and how Planmeca, Dentsply Sirona, Carestream, Vatech, DEXIS, and Morita differ.
Intraoral Cameras: How to Choose
How to choose an intraoral camera: focus, capture, software, and how MouthWatch, DEXIS, Acteon, Digital Doc, and Carestream differ.
Panoramic X-ray Units: How to Choose
How to choose a dental panoramic X-ray: 2D versus combo CBCT, ceph, patient positioning, and how Planmeca, Dentsply Sirona, Vatech, Carestream, and DEXIS differ.
Dental Air Compressors: How to Choose
How to choose a dental air compressor: oil-free air, drying, noise, and how Air Techniques, Dürr, Midmark, Jun-Air, and DentalEZ differ.
Dental Operatory Lights: How to Choose
How to choose a dental operatory light: LED color, intensity, composite mode, mounting, and how A-dec, Belmont, Planmeca, Pelton & Crane, and DentalEZ differ.
Dental Lasers: How to Choose
How to choose a dental laser by wavelength: diode, erbium, CO2, and Nd:YAG, and how Biolase, Fotona, Convergent, Ultradent, AMD, and Millennium differ.
Dental Delivery Systems: How to Choose
How to choose a dental delivery system: over-the-patient, rear, and side delivery, and how A-dec, DentalEZ, Belmont, Pelton & Crane, Forest, and Planmeca differ.
Intraoral Scanners: How to Choose
How to choose an intraoral scanner for digital impressions: open STL files, Invisalign workflows, carts, and how TRIOS, iTero, Primescan, Medit, and Planmeca differ.
Dental Nitrous Oxide Systems: How to Choose
How to choose a dental nitrous oxide system: flowmeters, scavenging, central gas versus portable tanks, and how Porter and Accutron differ.
Dental X-ray Sensors: How to Choose
How to choose a dental X-ray sensor: size, cable, software lock-in, and how DEXIS, Dentsply Sirona, Carestream, and Vatech differ from phosphor plates.
Dental Vacuum Systems: How to Choose
How to choose a dental vacuum: wet-ring versus dry pumps, simultaneous users, amalgam separation, and how Ramvac, Air Techniques, Dürr, Cattani, and Midmark differ.
Dental Glass Ionomer Luting Cements: How to Choose
How to choose a glass ionomer luting cement: RelyX Luting Plus, FujiCEM Evolve, Fuji PLUS, and Ketac Cem by delivery and ceramic.
Dental Temporary Cements: How to Choose
How to choose a temporary cement: eugenol zinc oxide, noneugenol zinc oxide, and clear dual-cure resin for provisionals.
Dental Bases and Liners: How to Choose
How to choose a base or liner: Dycal, Vitrebond, Ionoseal, and ACTIVA by chemistry, light cure, and pulp capping.
Dental Diamond Burs: How to Choose
How to choose a diamond bur: grit color, friction-grip or latch, and how Alpen, Spring, and Two Striper differ.
Dental Loupes: How to Choose
How to choose dental loupes: magnification, working distance, TTL or flip-up, and how Designs for Vision, Orascoptic, SurgiTel, and Q-Optics differ.
Dental Latex Dam Sheets: How to Choose
How to choose a latex dam sheet: gauge, size, and scent across Coltene Hygenic, Patterson Super Dam, Cranberry, and Medicom.