Celebrating World Innovation Day at DEXIS
At DEXIS, we love to celebrate, and April 21st is a special day for us! Recognized by the UN as World Creativity and Innovation Day, it’s the perfect time to showcase the vital role of innovation in human development including the dental industry.
Innovation is at the core of our values and is embedded in our Brand DNA.
For over 20 years, DEXIS has been a leader in digital intraoral radiography and diagnostic software. Since 2022, the DEXIS brand has expanded to include our comprehensive portfolio of imaging solutions, including CBCT units, handheld X-rays, intraoral scanners, sensors, and navigated surgical solutions. We have united the top brands in dentistry, including Gendex™, Instrumentarium, SOREDEX™, i-CAT™, and NOMAD™ under one umbrella. These legacy brands have registered hundreds of patents. Today, DEXIS holds over 500 patents, with most innovations stemming from our factory in Tuusula, Finland, which remains a hub of creativity and technological advancement, alongside our development centers in Mechelen, Belgium, and Quakertown, PA, USA.
DEXIS thus brings together various brands that used to compete for top innovations but now collaborate as a unified team. This synergy extends to our parent company, Envista, established in 2019 by merging over 30 trusted dental brands. To manage our extensive innovations and maintain market leadership, we leverage the Envista Business System, an innovative pathway from Danaher.
Let's explore some of these groundbreaking innovations that have pushed the boundaries of dental imaging and revolutionized the global dental market.
ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH
In 1949, the ingenious Professor Yrjö V. Paatero invented Parablography, the X-ray imaging method considered a precursor to modern panoramic radiography. This technique involved placing a strip-like film in the patient's mouth and rotating the patient's chair to capture the entire dentition on the film at once. Building on this idea, Paatero created the Pantomograph in 1950, where the film was bent in front of the patient's face. This innovation was groundbreaking, as it allowed for curved layered images of any part of the body. Recognizing room for improvement, Paatero developed the ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH™. A working prototype was built in 1957, producing the first panoramic X-ray image of a skull, with each tooth recorded perpendicularly on the film.
In the final version, the patient's chair remained stationary while the film and X-ray machine moved.1 Based on this invention, in 1964, the first commercial panoramic X-ray unit was produced at our renowned factory in Tuusula, Finland.2
The legacy of the Orthopantomograph continues today in our latest CBCT units, the ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH™ OP 3D™ LX and ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH™ OP 3D™ EX, featuring AI-powered diagnostics.
Cranex
Cranex™ DC was created in 1978, when our factory was producing medical devices under the company name Soredex. It was the first panoramic X-ray equipped with a high-frequency generator, what was a major advancement. These small generators enabled fast and accurate regulation of X-ray radiation output, becoming the industry standard for panoramic X-ray machines.
Cranex D was Soredex's first panoramic X-ray system, introduced with a Graphic User Interface (GUI). This innovation allowed for easier operation and better control over imaging processes. Its system utilized CCD and phosphor sensors, providing high signal-to-noise ratios and excellent image quality. These advancements ensured that dental professionals could obtain clear and detailed images for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.3
Scanora
The Scanora™ is an extraoral imaging device that was launched in 1988. The Scanora was the first dental X-ray system to combine panoramic and tomographic radiography in one extraoral dental imaging system. This innovation significantly advanced dental imaging by providing comprehensive views of the oral cavity, which are crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. This was a significant improvement over traditional X-ray methods, which were often limited in scope and detail. The Scanora was a key development in dental imaging technology, paving the way for cone beam CT (CBCT) techniques.
DIGORA
We must not forget the legendary pioneering DIGORA™, the first dental imaging plate system in the world to use Photo Stimulable Phosphor (PSP) technology. Introduced in 1994, DIGORA revolutionized dental radiography by offering a digital alternative to traditional film-based imaging. This innovation provided high-quality images with greater detail and contrast, significantly improving diagnostic capabilities. Dr. Beat R. Kurt from Switzerland recalls: “For me, DIGORA was really a big step into digital dentistry. It was one of the first on the market next to the cable/plates for digital radiography and it was a good quality solution.”
The success of DIGORA paved the way for further advancements in digital dental imaging, making it a cornerstone in the evolution of modern dental diagnostics. The intraoral imaging revolution started by DIGORA™ is now continued by Scan eXam One™.
i-CAT
In 2004, our legacy company in the USA introduced the i-CAT™, a compact CBCT system that delivered high-definition 3D imaging at half the cost of medical CT units and with less radiation. “Fast scan times allow 3D images to be taken on all patients allowing the clinician to collect more information than what is available in traditional 2D panoramic scans at a comparable dose.”
stated John Cullom, DDS, in his case report4. The i-CAT™ offers comprehensive views of maxillofacial structures, enhancing diagnosis and treatment planning while enabling safer, more predictable in-office imaging outcomes.
Digital intraoral sensor
In the 1990s, Manfred Pfeiffer, a German engineer and the founder of the DEXIS brand5, patented an intraoral sensing device to be placed into the mouth of a patient for producing tooth and jaw images.6 DEXIS thus introduced one of the first digital intraoral sensors which evolved through innovative software, the predecessor of today's DTX Studio™ Suite. DEXIS also started digital radiography on laptop computers as the first truly portable and affordable digital X-ray solution in 1997, and four years later it became the first intraoral digital radiography system to be accepted by the American Dental Association (ADA) into the prestigious ADA Seal Program7. Today, we produce, for example, DEXIS™ Ti2 Sensor and DEXIS IXS™ Sensor.
DTX Studio Clinic
The DEXIS brand today represents a full portfolio of award-winning imaging and digital solutions connected in one digital ecosystem, DTX Studio™ Clinic. “DTX is an amazing software that is rapidly evolving. It holds three Best of Class Cellerant technology awards, five patents in AI, and has over 100,000 users. It unites 2D and 3D x-rays, intraoral scans and digital photography into a single patient workspace. Its an AI-enabled connected ecosystem for digital dentistry ranging from diagnosis to treatment planning. It empowers all that we do at DEXIS”
says Jordan Reiss, the Senior Director, Clinical Strategic Development at DEXIS. This innovation has enhanced diagnostic accuracy, improved patient communication, and optimized workflow efficiency in dental practices worldwide.
Shaping the Future of Dentistry, Together.
Innovation is at the heart of DEXIS, driving us to continually push the boundaries of dental imaging and technology. From the ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH™ OP 3D™ to DTX Studio™ Clinic, our legacy of innovation has transformed the dental industry and improved patient care worldwide.
As we celebrate World Creativity and Innovation Day, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering creativity and technological advancement. With countless groundbreaking innovations, we are poised to lead the next wave of disruptive thinking and products.
Join us in celebrating and shaping the future of dentistry and enhancing the quality of care for patients around the world.
