3Shape TRIOS provides deep orthodontic software integration and superior long-span full-arch precision for high-volume practices, whereas Medit i700 delivers zero-subscription open agility, lighter handpiece ergonomics, and rapid capital payoff. Selecting between them depends on whether your priority lies in deep proprietary treatment planning or open-system flexibility within your digital scan-to-appliance workflow.
Full-Arch Accuracy and Scanning Hardware
Orthodontic manufacturing demands consistent full-arch fidelity across long dental spans to guarantee accurate fit for indirect bonding trays, palatal expanders, and clear aligners. The optical capture engine of your scanner dictates how effectively it manages full-arch stitching and cross-arch bite registration.
3Shape TRIOS Series
Utilizing ultrafast optical confocal microscopy, current TRIOS models capture dense point clouds with minimal stitching drift across expansive arches. The TRIOS 5 Wireless handpiece weighs just 299 g including battery, capturing up to 2,400 images per second over a 5 GHz wireless link. Confocal scanning delivers high accuracy across full dentate arches, ensuring predictable inter-arch bite registration. TRIOS devices export proprietary DCM files along with open STL, PLY, and .3oxz formats.
Medit i700
Powered by 3D-in-motion video technology capturing up to 70 frames per second with an LED light source, the wired Medit i700 handpiece weighs an ultra-light 245 g including tip. It incorporates a 180° reversible tip and adaptive anti-fogging technology to ease access in tight posterior quadrants. While comparative full-arch studies show slightly higher relative deviation over extended molar-to-molar spans than premium confocal hardware, its trueness remains well within clinically acceptable parameters for dentate arches and custom appliance fabrication.
Software Ecosystems: 3Shape Unite vs. Medit Link
Your intraoral hardware anchors your clinical workflow to a primary software suite, making ecosystem architecture a vital consideration when choosing between open vs closed digital orthodontic systems.
| Feature | 3Shape TRIOS | Medit i700 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Capture Engine | Ultrafast Confocal Microscopy | 3D-in-Motion Video (LED) |
| Handpiece Weight | 299 g (TRIOS 5 Wireless) | 245 g (i700 Wired) |
| Core Software Platform | 3Shape Unite | Medit Link |
| Native File Exports | STL, PLY, DCM, .3oxz | STL, PLY, OBJ, DICOM |
| Software Subscriptions | TRIOS Care (optional after Year 1) | No mandatory scanner subscription |
| Included Chairside Apps | Patient engagement tools | Ortho Simulation, Model Builder |
3Shape Unite
3Shape Unite functions as an integrated clinical hub connecting scan acquisition directly with the broader 3Shape Ortho System. Practices performing complex diagnostic setups, Bolton ratio analyses, and staged tooth movements benefit from this structured workspace. The platform links seamlessly with external production facilities and partner applications, though dedicated orthodontic design suites require separate software licensing beyond basic scan capture.
Medit Link
Medit Link operates as an open, agile platform offering a suite of free chairside applications via the Medit App Box. Applications such as Medit Ortho Simulation and Model Builder allow your team to simulate alignment changes and generate printable diagnostic models chairside without incurring ongoing module fees. This open architecture facilitates instant file transfers to third-party orthodontic CAD software.
Data Formats and Digital Lab Integration
Digital appliance manufacturing relies on uncompressed, accurate surface geometry. Mastering standard file transfers prevents production delays and guarantees dimensional integrity across the manufacturing chain.
Standardized mesh formats remain essential when transferring optical data to automated production software. Modern appliance fabrication relies on clean, high-density STL files in orthodontics.
- 3Shape TRIOS: Exports open STL and PLY files alongside DCM and .3oxz formats. While DCM files retain proprietary color and clinical metadata within 3Shape software, open STL exports grant total interoperability with external laboratories and production tools.
- Medit i700: Offers direct exports of open STL, PLY, and OBJ files. It also supports direct DICOM export for co-registering CBCT root and bone structure with intraoral scan surfaces.
Once received by your lab partner, these digital files feed directly into automated CAD/CAM orthodontic workflows to design retainers, expanders, and drive the complete clear aligner fabrication process.
Total Cost of Ownership and Licensing
Evaluating intraoral scanner returns requires weighing initial capital costs against ongoing operational agreements and hardware support policies.
Medit i700 Financials
The Medit i700 features an accessible entry point alongside a zero-subscription model for its core scanning functions. Users receive 2 GB of standard cloud storage, with an optional 10 TB Medit Cloud Storage Plan available for $9.99 per month. However, clinics must account for computer hardware requirements: Medit Link requires a high-performance workstation equipped with dedicated GPU power (such as an NVIDIA RTX 3060/4060 GPU and 32 GB RAM) for real-time rendering.
3Shape TRIOS Financials
3Shape hardware involves a higher initial capital investment paired with structured service plans. Purchase includes one complimentary year of TRIOS Care, which provides full risk accidental drop insurance, express replacement hardware, continuous updates, and direct support. After year one, practices can maintain TRIOS Care via monthly installments or transition to TRIOS Only – a basic subscription tier with no monthly cost that maintains scanning functionality while forfeiting drop insurance and express replacement guarantees.
Selecting the Right Scanner for Your Operations
To identify which platform best matches your clinical goals, review how each system fits your daily operational demands:
Choose 3Shape TRIOS if:
- You manage a high-volume clinic requiring extensive in-house CAD staging and complex diagnostic planning through 3Shape Ortho System.
- You demand maximum confocal precision across long-span full-arch scans and inter-arch bite registrations.
- You prefer comprehensive hardware coverage, drop insurance protection, and express replacement services.
Choose Medit i700 if:
- You target rapid capital payoff with lower upfront hardware investment and zero mandatory software subscription fees.
- You prefer an agile open-system structure that natively exports STL, PLY, OBJ, and DICOM files to any laboratory.
- You value ultra-lightweight handpiece ergonomics and reversible tip hardware for comfortable patient access.
Streamlining Your Digital Orthodontic Production
Whichever scanner you choose, optical impression performance relies on precision laboratory execution. Transforming raw digital scans into durable, comfortable appliances demands an experienced production partner.
NordicDens accepts digital scan exports – including STL, PLY, and DCM files – from both 3Shape TRIOS and Medit platforms. Our additive manufacturing facility converts your digital impressions into direct-printed devices, clear aligners, and thermoformed appliances with rapid turnaround across the Baltics and Scandinavia.
Connect with NordicDens today to integrate your scanner with our precision manufacturing pipeline.
