Blender for Dental vs exocad: what B4D does that exocad does not
Blender for Dental vs exocad from an instructor of both: free mesh modeling, custom shapes, licensing and where exocad stays faster for daily lab work.
Most comparisons put Blender for Dental (B4D) next to exocad as a cheaper copy. It is a different kind of tool. exocad is a guided dental CAD, B4D is a set of dental add-ons on top of a complete 3D modeler, and the interesting question is what the second can do that the first cannot. I teach both, as an exocad Certified Trainer and Blender for Dental Accredited Instructor. This post compares Blender for Dental vs exocad on the work where the difference is real.
Two different kinds of software
exocad DentalCAD is built around the indication. You choose a crown, a bridge or a bar, and a wizard leads you through margins, insertion axis, tooth proposal and connectors in a fixed order. That is why standard work is fast and repeatable in exocad, and why two technicians produce similar results.
Blender for Dental starts from Blender, the free open-source 3D suite used in animation and product design. The dental modules add tools for models, crowns and bridges, guides, dentures, bars, abutments and articulation, but underneath there is always the full modeler. Anything the dental tools do not cover can be built with Blender’s own tools.
What Blender for Dental does that exocad does not
The first difference is free modeling. In Blender every vertex of a mesh can be edited, sculpted, cut with boolean operations or rebuilt. exocad has free-forming tools, but they work inside the steps of the wizard. When a case needs a shape no wizard expects, such as a custom attachment, an unusual connector, a repair of a damaged scan or a combined model with parts from different files, Blender lets you build it directly.
The second is custom geometry outside dentistry in the narrow sense. Labels and logos embossed on models, holders and jigs for the lab, trays and test pieces are ordinary modeling tasks in Blender. B4D even sells a module for designing logos.
The third is bars and complex implant work with full control. The iBar module designs bars and superstructures for full-arch implant work, and every part of the result remains an editable mesh. The workflow is described in designing Toronto bridges with iBar.
The fourth is the cost model. Blender is free, B4D modules are bought one at a time with tutorials included, and according to the developer there is no yearly subscription and each module can be installed on up to three computers. A freelancer or a small lab can start with one module and add others when the work requires them.
Finally, Blender renders and animates. Presenting a case to a clinic with a clean render or a short animation is something a 3D suite does well and a dental CAD does not try to do.
Where exocad stays ahead
For daily production of crowns, bridges and implant abutments, exocad is faster. The wizard, the tooth libraries and the default parameters turn a standard case into a few minutes of checks, and a new technician produces consistent work sooner.
exocad also has the larger ecosystem: implant libraries from many manufacturers and compatible suppliers, presets for a long list of mills and printers, and export information that CAM software reads (see the .constructionInfo file). Most clinics and milling centers already know its files. For a lab that sends work to many partners, that counts as much as any tool.
The freedom of Blender has a cost too. With more ways to build a shape there are more ways to make a mistake, and a lab needs its own checks for thickness, connectors and fit.
Using both in the same lab
The two tools work well together. A common setup is exocad for standard production and Blender for Dental for bars, repairs, custom parts and work that falls outside the wizard. Files move between them as STL, PLY or OBJ (see STL, PLY and OBJ dental file formats).
For a wider comparison that includes 3Shape, see exocad vs 3Shape vs Blender for Dental. Free and low-cost options are in free dental CAD software. Courses in both programs are on the training page, and setup is covered in installing Blender for Dental.
Sources
- Blender for Dental, official site and module shop
- Blender Foundation, blender.org
Frequently asked questions
Can Blender for Dental replace exocad in a lab?
For some technicians and small labs, yes, especially with bars, models and custom work. For high daily volumes of standard crowns and bridges, exocad's guided workflow is usually faster, which is why many labs keep both.
Is Blender for Dental free?
Blender is free and open source. The Blender for Dental modules are bought one at a time, with tutorials included and no yearly subscription according to the developer, and each module can be installed on up to three computers.
Is Blender for Dental a medical device?
The developer states that Blender for Dental is listed as a Class I medical device in the EU. As with any CAD, the lab remains the manufacturer of the devices it designs and produces.