If your dentist has already scanned your teeth, the name of the scanner matters less than one practical question: can the office export the scan as a file your dental laboratory can use?
Sentinel Mouthguards accepts qualifying STL and PLY digital dental scan files for custom night guard fabrication. Many commonly used intraoral scanning systems can export one or both of these formats, although the exact process may depend on the scanner, software version, account configuration or licensing used by the dental office.
Why the Export Format Matters
An intraoral scanner creates a three-dimensional digital representation of the teeth. The scanner's own software may store that information in a proprietary format, but many systems also allow the dental office to export a copy in an open 3D format such as STL or PLY.
That exported file is what allows a scan created in one dental office to move into another compatible digital workflow.
For Sentinel customers, this means you do not necessarily need a particular brand of scanner. What matters is whether your dental office can provide a usable STL or PLY export and whether the scan contains the dental information our laboratory needs.
Common Dental Scanners That Can Export STL or PLY Files
The systems below are among the intraoral scanning platforms commonly encountered in dental and orthodontic offices. Manufacturer documentation currently describes the following export capabilities.
| Scanner / Platform | Documented Open Export | What to Know |
|---|---|---|
| iTero | STL, PLY | iTero describes its current ecosystem as supporting open STL and PLY export. Your dental office may need to export the files through its iTero workflow rather than simply forwarding what appears in the patient portal. |
| 3Shape TRIOS | STL, PLY | 3Shape documents both formats. Some export options depend on the software configuration or enabled license, so an office may need to confirm that export functionality is available. |
| Medit | STL, PLY, OBJ | Medit documents open export from its digital workflow in several common 3D formats. For a Sentinel order, request STL or PLY. |
| Dentsply Sirona Primescan | Open 3D export, including STL workflows | Dentsply Sirona supports open-data workflows with Primescan. The exact export steps can vary with the software and workflow used by the practice. |
| Planmeca | STL, PLY | Planmeca describes its current intraoral workflow as supporting open STL and PLY exports for sharing with laboratories and other partners. |
| Carestream Dental | STL, PLY and other formats on supported workflows | Carestream documentation describes open 3D exports, including STL and PLY. Some software features or export functionality may depend on the setup used by the dental office. |
| SHINING 3D Aoralscan | STL, PLY, OBJ | SHINING 3D lists STL, PLY and OBJ among the supported output formats for current Aoralscan systems. For Sentinel, request STL or PLY. |
| Dental Wings | STL | Current Dental Wings intraoral scanner instructions include an STL export workflow. |
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of every scanner on the market. New scanner models and software versions continue to appear, and export capabilities can change over time.
If your scanner is not listed here, that does not automatically mean the scan cannot be used. Ask the dental office whether its software can export the case as an STL or PLY file.
What If I Have an iTero Scan?
iTero deserves a special mention because many patients first encounter digital scanning during Invisalign or orthodontic treatment.
Current iTero systems support open STL and PLY export. If your dentist or orthodontist already has an iTero scan on file, ask whether they can provide the exported dental files rather than screenshots or images of the model.
We cover that workflow in more detail in our dedicated guide to ordering a custom night guard with an iTero scan .
What If I Don't Know Which Scanner My Dentist Used?
You do not need to know.
Scanner names can be useful when troubleshooting a file export, but they are not required to begin the conversation with your dental office. Simply ask whether your existing intraoral scan can be exported as an STL or PLY file.
STL vs. PLY: Does It Matter?
Both are 3D file formats that can represent the surface geometry of a dental scan.
STL is widely used in dental CAD and laboratory workflows. PLY can store additional information, including color data in compatible workflows. For the purpose of submitting an existing dental scan to Sentinel, qualifying STL and PLY files are both accepted.
You do not need to convert one format into the other yourself. Send the original export supplied by your dental office and let our laboratory review it.
A Compatible File Is Only Part of the Picture
The fact that a scanner can export an STL or PLY file does not, by itself, guarantee that every scan is suitable for fabrication.
The digital model still needs to adequately represent the teeth and areas required for the appliance. Incomplete scans, missing posterior teeth, unusual exports or changes to your teeth since the scan was taken may require additional information or an updated record.
If your question is specifically about whether an older scan still reflects your teeth closely enough for a new appliance, see Can I Reuse an Old Digital Scan for a New Night Guard?
Already Have an STL or PLY File?
Once you have the files, you do not need to stay on the scanner-compatibility side of the process.
Our guide to sending an STL or PLY digital dental scan to Sentinel explains the current ordering and upload process step by step.
The Bottom Line
Many of the major intraoral scanning systems used in dental offices today can export open 3D files such as STL or PLY.
You do not need to identify every technical detail yourself. If your dentist has already scanned your teeth, start by asking whether the office can provide the scan as an STL or PLY export.
Once you have the files, Sentinel can review them as part of the digital-scan ordering process.