DRA 2022 Top 10 Dental Products

As we begin counting down to the New Year, it’s time to look back at the top dental products that made us sit up and take collective notice over the last 12 months.

From curing lights to a wireless loupe, intraoral scanners to an updated treatment unit; dental matrix system to dentin graft substitute, our top 10 list proves that the R&D vaults and manufacturing plants have been brimming with creative throughput and production finesse in 2022.

Indeed, these are exciting products that continue to raise the bar for dental innovation as well as the already high standards of patient care and treatments on the whole.

Without further adieu – in no particular order – here are DRA’s Top 10 Dental Products of 2022. Drum roll, please.

#1: VALO X Curing Light

The VALO X is a redesigned curing light said to provide users with a more complete cure, thanks to its 12.5 mm lens and custom LED chip.

Touted for its durability, power, accessibility, and versatility, the VALO X boast an aerospace-grade aluminium construction and an ergonomic wand design. In addition, its low-profile and compact design ensures better access to difficult-to-reach regions of the mouth and optimum patient comfort and operator handling. The low-profile wand head increases access to posterior restorations.

The VALO X curing light is said to deliver a more complete cure due to its 12.5 mm lens aperture and powerful LED chip that promises superior curing depth and beam collimation – purportedly with better thermal management than other lights.

Read more about the VALO X Curing Light.

#2: DragonFly wireless loupe

Orascoptic’s Dragonfly is a powered loupe with fully integrated battery power and circuitry to operate a built-in headlight.

Dragonfly fits industry-leading optics and an award-winning headlight into a lightweight frame. Featuring a counter-balance design that reduces pressure on the user’s nose bridge, the ergonomic eyewear offers affords all-day wearing comfort. The unique design is said to reduce up to 30% weight on the nose compared to traditional loupes. 

More importantly, the powered loupe delivers untethered freedom – no more fumbling over cables and battery packs. All Dragonfly loupes use Orascoptic’s TruColor headlight technology.

Read more about the DragonFly wireless loupe.

#3: QicoBay C1 auto-restringing flosser

The QicoBay C1 is a new flossing device designed to help eliminate plastic waste and encourage oral hygiene, billed as the world’s first auto-restringing flosser.

The C1 is built for on-the-go dental hygiene with a simple design and easy-to-use functionality. QicoBay even launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the development of the innovative flosser.

Designed with both simplicity and environmental friendliness in mind, the QicoBay C1 flosser is made from recycled materials and can be reused multiple times. With the C1, there is no need to keep buying new plastic floss picks.

Read more about the QicoBay C1 auto-restringing flosser.

#4: Osstem K5 dental chair

The Osstem K5 dental unit is the successor to the Osstem K3 dental chair, the country’s top-selling dental chair for 6 years in a row between 2015-2020.

The K5 dental unit received the GD Presidential Award for Best Product Design presented by the country’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The newly updated dental treatment unit continues the Korean company’s focus on the three main aspects of chair design and innovation – distinct design, convenient usability and easy management. With nine upholstery colours to choose from, the K5 dental unit is designed to accentuate the interiors of the modern dentist’s office, said the company.

Read more about the Osstem K5 dental chair.

#5: Smartee GS Occlusal Reconstruction Device

The Smartee GS clear aligner offers a new treatment method for multiple protruding, concave and even partial jaw deformities.

Based on the theory of jaw reconstruction, Smartee GS uses precise and scientific treatment methods to effectively improve facial shape while achieving desired orthodontic treatment outcomes.

The China-made clear aligner innovation is said to: Solve the concave, convex profile, mandibular deflection and other malocclusion correction; reduces or avoids tooth extraction; greatly shortens the overall treatment time; and provides a fast, effective and comfortable orthodontic experience.

Read more about the Smartee GS Occlusal Reconstruction Device.

#6: 3M Filtek Matrix restorative system

The 3M Filtek Matrix is a restorative system designed to make composite placement less invasive and more predictable.

The new custom matrix system is a digitally designed customized anterior matrix system that streamlines conservative, composite treatment.

It helps the clinician transfer the digital design to the patient’s teeth using 3M dental composites. Unlike more traditional ceramic procedures that often require the removal of tooth structure, the Filtek Matrix relies on additive composite techniques where little to no tooth reduction is required.

Read more about the 3M Filtek Matrix restorative system.

#7: Ivory Dentin Graft

The Ivory Dentin Graft is a novel, xenograft-origin bioresorbable graft material for the repair or augmentation of bone defects in dental procedures.

According to a press release from product developer Ivory Graft Ltd, the dentin graft was created based on the advantages of autologous dentin grafts.

The new category of dentin graft substitutes is said to retain the natural form of the sourced porcine dentin, as well as the protein matrix.

Sourced from natural dentin, without additives, the composition of Ivory Dentin Graft is very similar to bone. As such, its biological and physicomechanical properties make it an ideal grafting material.

Read more about the Ivory Dentin Graft.

#8: 3Shape TRIOS 5 Wireless intraoral scanner

The new TRIOS 5 Wireless from 3Shape is an intraoral scanner designed to ease the dentist’s transition into digital dentistry.

Featuring the all-new ScanAssist intelligent alignment technology, TRIOS 5 Wireless is said to enable faster and smoother scanning. Its redesigned housing – more compact and hygienically optimized – delivers improved imaging performance and infection control. ScanAssist function also minimizes misalignment and distortion in 3D models, allowing users to scan patients in any direction – by simply creating a scan path that best suits.

The digital impression taking process is further enhanced by an LED ring and haptic sensory feedback, which serve as important guides during the scans.

Read more about the 3Shape TRIOS 5 Wireless intraoral scanner.

#9: NeoScan 1000 intraoral scanner

The NeoScan™ 1000 from Neoss is another exciting intraoral scanner designed for scanning accuracy and speed.

Weighing in at 198 grams, the compact and user-friendly device is lightweight enough for continuous extended handling minus the fatigue. NeoScan 1000 offers a high-resolution 16 mm x 14 mm field of view, boasting vivid true-color images. Users are able to easily distinguish between tooth structure and soft tissues, and clearly identify margin lines and undercut areas.

The handpiece features motion-capture capabilities and well-appointed buttons to allow fuss-free scanning, optimizing, and exporting – all without having to touch your computer. Powered directly by the computer – no need for separate power supply – you can easily share NeoScan 1000 between dental chairs.

Read more about the NeoScan 1000 intraoral scanner.

#10: CS 8200 3D Neo imaging system

The CS 8200 3D Neo Edition from Carestream Dental offers a versatile 2D/3D imaging system with an expanded field of view (FOV).

The extended FOV is ideal for scanning the full arch — including third molars — in just one scan. The Neo Edition introduces three more fields of view for a total of 9 selectable views – ranging from 4x4cm to 12x10cm.

The CS 8200 3D Neo Edition provides 2D panoramic and CBCT images, in addition to 3D model scanning for a powerful imaging package. The high-resolution images, at 75 microns, are suitable for endodontic applications. The unit features an ANR algorithm based image de-noiser that helps preserves crisp, clinical details.

Combined with Carestream’s Tomosharp algorithm image processing technology, the unit delivers sharp, instantaneous panoramic images.

Read more about the CS 8200 3D Neo imaging system.