When Does a Scanner Pay for Itself?

When does a scanner pay for itself?

A break-even calculator for intraoral scanning vs. conventional impressions — enter your own clinic's numbers to get a practice-specific estimate.

Companion tool for “Cost analysis and break-even modelling of intraoral scanning versus conventional impressions in dentistry”
📋 Pre-filled with example values from the source study's ex-vivo measurement (Medit i700, single implant crown). Replace every field with your own clinic's numbers.

Your numbers

All costs in your local currency; the calculator is currency-agnostic.

Practice basis
Chair time per case
Digital
Conventional
Digital
Conventional
Cost per case
Digital
Conventional
Digital
Conventional
Digital
Conventional
Scanner being considered

Estimate

Updates live as you edit your numbers.

Digital cost / case
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Conventional cost / case
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Saving / case
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Cases to break even
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Time to break even
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Net saving vs. purchase price Break-even line

Model: expected cost/case = (baseline time × chair rate) + (remake rate × remake time × chair rate) + baseline materials/lab/shipping + (remake rate × remake materials/lab/shipping). Break-even = purchase price ÷ (conventional − digital cost per case), converted to months at your monthly case volume, net of any annual ongoing scanner fee.

Based on the methodology in Cost analysis and break-even modelling of intraoral scanning versus conventional impressions in dentistry: an ex-vivo time-and-motion study. This calculator reproduces the paper's cost model so readers can substitute their own local costs, case volume, and scanner pricing — see the manuscript's Methods §2.4–2.5 for the full derivation and its stated limitations.

Educational tool. Results are estimates computed from the numbers you enter and are not financial or clinical advice. All calculations run in your browser; no data are collected, stored or sent anywhere.