Dental Equipment

A treatment plan names the procedure. It rarely names the equipment used to plan it, or the material that ends up in your tooth. Both are reasonable things to ask about before treatment starts.

Nuffield Dental runs clinics across Singapore, and this page sets out the dental equipment and materials we use in them, what each one is for, and where its limits are. Not every item is at every location.

Nobel Biocare

Nobel Biocare makes one of the implant systems used in our clinics. The Singapore registrations name Nobel Biocare AB of Gothenburg as the product owner, and the group is headquartered in Switzerland. It commercialised the Brånemark System, developed from Per-Ingvar Brånemark's research into osseointegration, which is the process by which an implant forms a stable connection with the bone around it. If a screw or an abutment, the connector between the implant and the crown, has to be replaced years later, the replacement has to match the system already in your jaw, which is why the manufacturer named on your treatment plan is worth noting. Implants in this class generally have to be registered with the Health Sciences Authority before they can be supplied in Singapore, and that register is public, so the system placed in your jaw can be looked up. Dr Samintharaj Kumar (SDC reg. no. D21533C, BDS 2001, National University of Singapore) places implants at our Raffles Place and Jewel clinics.

Noris Medical

Noris Medical manufactures dental implants together with the surgical and prosthetic components that go with them. Its range includes zygomatic and cortical implants, which are used when the upper jaw has lost too much bone to hold a conventional dental implant in the usual position. Both are specialised options, and whether either suits your case depends on how much bone is left and where it sits. Dr Kumar trained in zygomatic implant placement in 2009, with Paulo Malo at the MALO Clinic and with Carlos Aparicio, who developed the ZAGA technique, and our practice is listed in the ZAGA Centers network. He accepts referrals for zygomatic and tubero-pterygoid implant cases.

SomnoDent

SomnoDent is a mandibular advancement device: a splint made to a digital scan of your own bite, worn overnight, that holds the lower jaw slightly forward so the airway is less likely to collapse during sleep. It may be used as part of the management of obstructive sleep apnoea in selected patients. It is not a like-for-like replacement for CPAP, the mask and pump that holds the airway open with pressurised air. In a 2020 meta-analysis of 14 randomised trials, CPAP cut the number of breathing pauses per hour of sleep by about seven more than an oral appliance did, though daytime sleepiness scores were much the same in both groups. An oral appliance may be considered for selected patients, including some who cannot tolerate CPAP.

A device of this kind is fitted only after a sleep study has confirmed what is causing the disturbance, because snoring, obstructive sleep apnoea and central sleep apnoea are not the same thing and do not call for the same treatment.

scanO Air Screening

scanO air is a contact-free AI screening unit at selected clinics, and it uses no radiation and no instruments. The unit is designed to screen visible tooth surfaces for a range of tooth-related findings.

It is a screening tool and not a diagnosis, and it does not appear on the Singapore Medical Device Register. It reads only the visible surfaces of teeth, so it cannot assess between teeth or below the gum line.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography

CBCT produces a three-dimensional X-ray of the jaw, where a conventional dental X-ray gives a flat image. That matters most in implant planning, where the position of the sinus and the nerve canal has to be known before anything is placed, and in complex root canal cases where an extra canal or a fracture is not visible on a standard film. It is also used to work out where an impacted tooth actually sits before it is removed, and to look at the jaw joint. A minority of orthodontic cases need it too. It is not used routinely. A 3D scan carries a higher radiation dose than a standard dental X-ray, so it is taken when the plan genuinely depends on it.

Panoramic X-rays

A panoramic X-ray, often called an OPG, sweeps around the head and produces one flat image of both jaws in a single pass. It is the usual first look when the question is broad, such as where an unerupted wisdom tooth is sitting or how much bone height there is before a plan is made. Because it flattens a curved structure into two dimensions, it cannot show which way a root leans or how close a nerve canal really runs, which is the point at which a CBCT scan is considered.

are taken on digital sensors. A digital sensor needs less exposure than film to produce a usable image, and the result appears on screen straight away without processing chemicals.

Panoramic dental X-ray (OPG) showing both upper and lower jaws

Dental Operating Microscopes

Root canal treatment at our clinics is carried out under a dental operating microscope. Magnification plus a light source aligned with the line of sight can help the dentist visualise the canal and identify canals that may be calcified or unusually positioned.

are taken on digital sensors. A digital sensor needs less exposure than film to produce a usable image, and the result appears on screen straight away without processing chemicals.

Intraoral Scanners

An intraoral scanner replaces the tray of impression material with a wand that builds a 3D model of your teeth from a series of images. For some patients, a practical difference is avoiding impression trays, which can trigger a gag reflex. Clinically, the file can be sent straight to a laboratory or a mill without a physical model being posted anywhere.

We use iTero for Invisalign clear aligner scanning and 3Shape for digital smile design.

CAD/CAM Milling

We produce indirect restorations, including inlays, onlays and crowns, in our own dental laboratories using CAD/CAM, which stands for computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing. The design is drawn on the scan and the restoration is milled from a solid block. Because the laboratory is in-house, the scan and any remake are handled in the same building.

3D Printing and Surgical Stents

3D printing is used for models, temporary restorations and surgical stents. A stent is a printed guide that sits over the teeth during implant surgery to help guide the implant towards the position planned on the CBCT scan.

T-Scan Bite Analysis

T-Scan records where and in what order your teeth make contact when you bite, together with the relative distribution of force. Articulating paper marks where contact happens but says nothing about timing or load. This can provide additional information when repeated restoration fracture or jaw discomfort is being assessed.

Ultrasonic Systems

Ultrasonic instruments are used in scaling and in endodontics. In root canal work, they may be used to assist with cleaning the canal system and removing certain obstructions.

Self-Aspirating Syringes

We use self-aspirating syringes for local anaesthetic. Aspiration checks that the needle tip is not inside a blood vessel before the anaesthetic is delivered. In a self-aspirating system, aspiration occurs through the syringe mechanism without the operator having to manually draw back on the handle. The handle is balanced for tactile control, so the dentist can feel the resistance and deliver the anaesthetic slowly.

If you have a cardiovascular condition, tell us before any procedure. Local anaesthetic commonly contains adrenaline, and the dentist will assess whether the type or amount used needs to be adjusted for your case.

The Materials Nuffield Dental Uses

Fillings Without Mercury

We do not place dental amalgam fillings. International policy on the use of dental amalgam is also changing. Dental amalgam is roughly half elemental mercury by weight, and a 2022 amendment to the Minamata Convention on Mercury restricted its use in children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. In November 2025 the parties to the convention went further and agreed a global phase-out: after 2034, manufacturing, importing or exporting dental amalgam will no longer be permitted, other than where a dentist judges it necessary for a particular patient.

Dental amalgam contains elemental mercury and can release low levels of mercury vapour. Recommendations on its use take into account mercury exposure, environmental considerations and individual patient factors. The World Health Organization counts mercury among the top ten chemicals of major public health concern.

We use composite fillings and glass ionomer instead. Composite is a glass or quartz filler held in a resin, which makes it tooth-coloured, and it bonds to the tooth. In small and mid-sized restorations it stands up to moderate chewing loads. Glass ionomer bonds chemically to dentine and releases fluoride, which makes it useful in its own right and as a base beneath a composite. It also suits situations where moisture control is difficult.

Neither material is a universal answer. The evidence comparing restorative materials in back teeth continues to develop, and the right choice depends on the size of the cavity, where it sits and how much load it carries.

Nickel-Free and Metal-Free Crowns

Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns have a metal substructure beneath the porcelain, which affects how light passes through the restoration and may become visible at the margin if the gum recedes.

Casting alloys are graded by how much noble metal they contain. High noble is at least 60 per cent noble metal with at least 40 per cent gold, noble or semi-precious is at least 25 per cent, and predominantly base metal alloys fall below that. Nickel is generally found in the base metal group.

We use nickel-free and semi-precious crowns, and metal-free options including zirconia. Zirconia is a ceramic with high flexural strength, meaning it resists bending and fracture under load, which is why it is used on back teeth where chewing loads are heaviest. It contains no nickel at all, which matters for anyone with a nickel sensitivity. A crown may be considered where a tooth has a large filling or a crack that needs protecting, while the material is selected according to the clinical requirements and patient factors.

Asking About Dental Equipment Before Treatment

Whatever dental equipment a clinic uses, a few questions are worth putting to any dentist before treatment starts.

What will you use to see the problem, and what would a simpler option miss?
What material will go in, and what are its limits?
Who makes the implant or the appliance, and will the details go into my notes?
If a part fails or wears out later, can it be replaced, and by whom?

If you are coming in for treatment at one of our clinics, raise them at the consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Equipment

How much radiation is there in a dental X-ray or a CBCT scan?

It depends on the machine and on how much of the jaw is covered. A review of published measurements puts a single intraoral X-ray at about 1.3 microsieverts on average and a panoramic at about 18, against roughly 121 for a CBCT scan, rising to about 392 for a large field of view. Natural background radiation gives an average person around 3,110 microsieverts a year, so a typical CBCT is on the order of a fortnight of ordinary background exposure. That is still more than a flat X-ray, which is why it is taken only when the plan depends on it.

Is a panoramic X-ray the same as a CBCT scan?

No. A panoramic X-ray gives one flat image across the whole jaw in a single pass and may be sufficient for many routine assessments. A CBCT scan builds a three-dimensional volume and carries a higher radiation dose. It is taken when the plan depends on knowing depth and position, for example before an implant.

Is a CBCT scan needed for every dental implant?

Not automatically. Whether one is taken depends on what the plan actually needs: how close the nerve canal or the sinus sits, and whether several implants have to line up with each other. Your dentist should be able to say why the scan is being taken in your case, and a printed surgical guide follows the same logic.

Can I choose which filling material is used?

You can ask what material is proposed before treatment starts. If you have a known sensitivity, to nickel or anything else, raise it at the consultation rather than on the day.

Can I be told which implant or appliance brand is being used?

Yes. Ask for the manufacturer and the system name, and ask for both to be recorded in your notes. If a component has to be replaced years later, whoever treats you then needs to know what is already in place.

What is the difference between an intraoral scanner and an intraoral camera?

An intraoral scanner builds a 3D model of your teeth that a laboratory or a mill can work from. An intraoral camera takes photographs of a tooth surface so you can see what the dentist is describing.

Does newer dental equipment change the outcome?

Not on its own. Dental equipment changes what a dentist can see and how a restoration is made, but the diagnosis and the person reading the scan still decide the result.

References

FDI World Dental Federation. (2025, November 7). COP6 decision on dental amalgam secures an equity-focused, patient-centred approach. FDI World Dental Federation. https://www.fdiworlddental.org/cop6-decision-dental-amalgam-secures-equity-focused-patient-centred-approach

Health Sciences Authority. (n.d.). Registration overview of medical devices. Health Sciences Authority. https://www.hsa.gov.sg/medical-devices/registration-of-medical-devices/register-your-device/overview

Kisumbi, B. K., Osiro, O. A., Gathece, L. W., & Maina, S. W. (2025). Dental amalgam phase-down: Status, alternatives, strategies and preparedness for implementation, a review. International Journal of Dentistry, 2025, 6688410. https://doi.org/10.1155/ijod/6688410

Lee, H., & Badal, A. (2021). A review of doses for dental imaging in 2010-2020 and development of a web dose calculator. Radiology Research and Practice, 2021, 6924314. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6924314

Lewis, S. R., Walsh, T., Glenny, A.-M., Banerjee, A., Boyers, D., Hatton, P. V., Mackie, C., & Martin, N. (2026). Restorative materials for direct coronal restoration of permanent posterior teeth: An overview of systematic reviews. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 7(7), CD016279. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD016279

Li, P., Ning, X.-H., Lin, H., Zhang, N., Gao, Y.-F., & Ping, F. (2020). Continuous positive airway pressure versus mandibular advancement device in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine, 72, 5-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2020.03.015

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Mercury and health. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mercury-and-health