i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona)discontinued

i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX
CBCT capability & upgrade report

i-CAT FLX · released 2013 · 13 yrs in service · discontinued
✓ Works with Alvea. Your i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX produces the DICOM volume Alvea works from — its scans convert to a chairside 3D model with no new hardware. It runs off the cone-beam you already take; nothing to install on the machine.

Specifications

Sharpest resolution125 µm voxel
Field of view5–23 cm
Capture modes16d x 13h (standard), 23d x 17h (extended, full ceph-height), FLX MV compact: 8.5x4, 8.5x8.5, 15.5x6, 15.5x8.5 cm
Detectoramorphous silicon flat panel with CsI
Tube voltage120–120 kVp
Tube current3–7 mA
Scan time4.8 s (full ceph-height QuickScan) to 26.9 s
Pan / CephIntegrated 2D + 3D
Released2013
In service13 years
StatusDiscontinued
Export pathDICOM; true 2D pan (i-PAN) on same sensor; ceph reconstructed
Current successori-CAT FLX V-Series
Market positionBreakthrough low-dose FLX generation - QuickScan+ made CBCT dose competitive with panoramic

Where the i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX stands today

  • Resolution is solid mainstream (125µm at best). Fine for implant visualization; the newest high-res units go finer, but the real-world difference is marginal for case communication.
  • Field of view reaches 23cm — enough for both arches in one capture. Most practices never switch out of the small default FOV and never know they have this.
  • It's 13 years old (2013) — legacy hardware. The question isn't "is it old," it's "does a networking/software path get you current for a fraction of a new unit." Usually yes.
  • Detector: amorphous silicon flat panel with CsI.
  • This model is no longer sold new (succeeded by the i-CAT FLX V-Series) — which means parts, service, and software support are the thing to verify before any new spend.

What it already does that most practices don't use

  • Multiple FOV modes (16d x 13h (standard), 23d x 17h (extended, full ceph-height), FLX MV compact: 8.5x4, 8.5x8.5, 15.5x6, 15.5x8.5 cm). Most operators leave it on one preset — the larger modes are already paid for.
  • The same unit does panoramic/ceph as well as 3D — one capture surface you may be sending out for.
  • Output/networking: DICOM; true 2D pan (i-PAN) on same sensor; ceph reconstructed. That export path is what lets a scan leave the machine and become something a patient can actually look at.

Upgrade paths for the i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX

  • UpgradeIntroduced QuickScan+ (full 3D at dose comparable to 2D pan). Motorized gantry; true 2D pan via i-PAN
  • SuccessorThe i-CAT FLX V-Series is the current successor — useful as a yardstick for what actually changed, not an automatic reason to buy it.
  • NetworkThe fastest upgrade is almost never new hardware — it's getting the volume off the machine and into a workflow. That alone changes what the box is worth to you.
  • ReconfigureSwitching your default to the right FOV/scan mode for implant cases is free, and most practices never do it.

Repair vs. replace: what it costs

Repair: the dominant wear item on any dental CBCT is the X-ray tube — a replacement runs roughly $15,000-$40,000, typically every 3–7 years depending on scan volume. A larger-FOV unit like this one sits toward the upper end of that range. Budget a service contract at about $5,000–$15,000/year and software licensing around $2,000/year. A flat-panel detector is the big unknown — it isn't publicly priced, so get a manufacturer quote before assuming the worst.

Parts & service (legacy unit): because this model is no longer sold new, parts and service availability — not the sticker — decide whether a repair is worth it. Confirm both before any spend.

Replace: a comparable unit runs roughly used ~$30k-55k (rough). The honest test before spending that is whether a networking or software path gets you most of the capability for a fraction of it — for an aging machine, it usually does.

Figures are 2025–26 industry ranges for dental CBCT, not a quote for your exact unit or contract. Sources: Medical Imaging Specialists, DentalTI buyer's guide, The Dental Signal.

i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX — common questions

Can Alvea use scans from the i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX?
Yes. The i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX exports a standard DICOM volume, and Alvea converts that volume into a chairside 3D model of the patient's jaw — no new hardware and no new scan. It runs off the cone-beam you already take.
Is the i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX discontinued, and what replaced it?
The i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX is no longer sold new; its successor is the i-CAT FLX V-Series. An aging unit is rarely a reason to replace on its own — parts, service and a software/networking path usually keep it clinically current for far less than a new machine.
How much does a i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX cost?
A comparable i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX runs roughly used ~$30k-55k (rough). Before replacing, weigh whether a networking or software path gets you most of the capability for a fraction of that.
How much does it cost to repair a i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX?
The dominant repair on any dental CBCT is the X-ray tube, which runs roughly $15,000-$40,000 and is typically replaced every 3–7 years by scan volume. Annual service contracts run about $5,000–$15,000, and a flat-panel detector is quoted by the manufacturer rather than listed publicly. These are 2025–26 industry ranges, not a quote for a specific unit.
What is the field of view on the i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX?
The i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX reaches 23 cm, enough to capture both arches in one scan — a mode most practices never switch to.
Your cone-beam, chairside

See what a i-CAT (Dentsply Sirona) i-CAT FLX scan becomes.

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Independent by design. Alvea makes nothing you'd buy from a CBCT vendor — so this report has no reason to push you toward a sale. It reads your machine, not your patients. This is an equipment capability report, not clinical guidance.