Medit Link handles Medit scans beautifully. But if your lab receives files from iTero, TRIOS, Planmeca, and desktop scanners too, you need a case management platform that doesn't care which scanner took the impression.
Before we compare anything, let's be honest about what Medit Link gets right — because it gets a lot right.
Medit is now the second-largest intraoral scanner brand globally, behind only Align Technology's iTero. Their i700 and i900 scanners have earned a reputation for speed, accuracy, and competitive pricing. And Medit Link is the cloud platform that ties that hardware ecosystem together.
When a clinic uses a Medit scanner and sends a case to a lab that also uses Medit Link, the experience is seamless. The scan arrives directly in the lab's dashboard. Case Talk lets both sides communicate in context. The mobile app gives quick access to scan previews. And the free starter tier means a lab can begin receiving Medit scans without paying a dime.
For scan delivery within the Medit ecosystem, it works. Full stop.
So why would a dental lab look for a Medit Link alternative?
Because most labs don't receive scans from only one scanner brand. And scan delivery is only one piece of the case management puzzle.
Medit Link was designed as a companion platform for Medit scanners — and that's exactly what it is. The challenges arise when a lab's reality extends beyond the Medit ecosystem. Here are the specific friction points that drive labs to look elsewhere:
None of these are bugs. They're the natural boundaries of a platform built for scan sharing rather than full lab management. Medit Link does exactly what it was designed to do. The question is whether your lab needs more than scan delivery — and for most labs, the answer is yes.
A detailed side-by-side look at where each platform excels and where it falls short — with honest assessments on both sides.
| Feature | Medit Link | TrazaLab |
|---|---|---|
| Scanner Compatibility | Medit only (i500, i700, i900) | Any scanner (Medit, iTero, TRIOS, Planmeca, etc.) |
| Deployment | Cloud + Mobile App | Cloud (any browser) |
| Starting Price | Free tier (limited) | ~$9.40/mo (14-day free trial) |
| Case Management | Basic (scan-linked) | ✓ Full lifecycle |
| Kanban Pipeline | ✕ | ✓ Visual stages |
| File Upload Limit | Scan files only | 5 GB any format, resumable |
| File Formats | Medit native (STL, PLY) | STL, PLY, OBJ, DCM, CBCT, photos, PDFs |
| Clinical Messaging | Case Talk (basic) | ✓ TrazaChat (threaded, rich media) |
| WhatsApp Notifications | ✕ | ✓ WhatsApp Bridge |
| Digital Prescriptions | Free-text only | ✓ Structured fields |
| AI Voice Transcription | ✕ | ✓ Auto-transcribed audio |
| Shade Photography | Basic image attach | Uncompressed HD + EXIF preserved |
| Payment Management | Basic invoicing | Basic invoicing |
| Analytics | Basic usage stats | Case volume, turnaround, clinic trends |
| Mobile Access | ✓ Dedicated app | ✓ Responsive browser |
| Security | Cloud encryption | AES-256 + RBAC + audit logs |
| Compliance | Not specified | HIPAA + GDPR |
| Language Support | Multi-language | English + Spanish (bilingual) |
| Direct Scan Delivery | ✓ From Medit scanners | Upload-based (any source) |
Data gathered from public-facing product pages, April 2026. Features may change — always verify with the vendor directly.
Medit Link is a scan delivery platform with case communication features. TrazaLab is a case management platform with file handling built in. That architectural difference means TrazaLab covers the parts of a dental lab workflow that Medit Link was never designed to address.
Here's what changes when you move from scan delivery to full case management:
TrazaLab doesn't care which scanner took the impression. Upload STL from a Medit i700, PLY from a TRIOS 5, or DICOM from a Planmeca ProMax. Every file gets linked to its case, stored at full resolution, and accessible from any device. One platform for every source.
Learn about file handlingSee every case at every stage — from scan received to design, production, quality check, and delivery. Drag cards between columns. Filter by clinic, technician, or due date. Know exactly where your bottleneck is without opening a single spreadsheet.
See the pipelineClinical communication that goes beyond Case Talk. TrazaChat supports threaded conversations, rich media sharing, and full case context. The WhatsApp Bridge notifies surgeons on their phone — new cases, status changes, messages — without forcing them to download another app.
Explore TrazaChatSurgeons record voice notes with case instructions between patients. TrazaLab transcribes them automatically and attaches the text to the order. No more replaying garbled voice messages. The lab technician reads clear, searchable instructions on screen.
See AI featuresReplace free-text case notes with structured forms: tooth numbers, material type, shade selection, occlusion notes, special instructions. Every field is standardized. Nothing gets lost in translation. No more calling the clinic to clarify what they meant.
Browse toolsShade matching lives and dies by color accuracy. TrazaLab preserves EXIF metadata and stores photos at full resolution — no compression artifacts, no color shift. What the dentist's camera captures is exactly what the lab technician evaluates on screen.
See shade photographyThese aren't incremental improvements over Medit Link — they're features that solve different problems entirely. Medit Link delivers the scan. TrazaLab manages the case that scan belongs to. Understanding that distinction is the key to choosing the right tool.
Yes — and many labs do exactly this. The two platforms solve different problems, and using them together can give you the best of both worlds.
Think of it as a division of labor. Medit Link is your scanner-specific intake channel. TrazaLab is your universal case management system.
This approach works particularly well for labs in transition. You don't have to give up Medit Link's seamless scan delivery to gain TrazaLab's case management. Start by running both in parallel. Over time, you'll naturally consolidate into whichever system handles the most critical part of your workflow.
For labs where 80%+ of cases come from Medit scanners, Medit Link stays central and TrazaLab adds the management layer. For labs where Medit is one of several scanner brands, TrazaLab becomes the single source of truth and Medit Link becomes one of several intake channels.
Either way, you're not locked in. Both platforms are cloud-based, and your data remains accessible. That flexibility is the point. Read more about how TrazaLab's clinical file handling works with files from any source.
We could claim TrazaLab replaces Medit Link in every scenario. But that would be misleading. Medit Link has genuine strengths that TrazaLab doesn't replicate — and there are real situations where staying with Medit Link makes perfect sense.
The right choice depends on what bottleneck you're solving. If scans arrive late or get lost between clinic and lab, Medit Link's direct delivery is the fix. If cases stall because of communication gaps, missing prescriptions, unclear instructions, or scattered files from multiple sources, that's the problem TrazaLab was engineered to solve.
Not every lab faces the same challenge. Here's our recommendation based on your specific workflow reality — including when we'd point you toward Medit Link instead.
If every clinic sends scans through Medit scanners and your workflow is simple (receive, design, deliver), Medit Link's free tier covers the basics. Add TrazaLab if you outgrow basic case tracking or need structured prescriptions.
The moment your lab receives files from iTero, TRIOS, Planmeca, or desktop scanners alongside Medit, you need a single platform for all cases. TrazaLab is scanner-agnostic — one dashboard, one pipeline, every source.
If remakes, miscommunication, and lost instructions are your biggest cost, TrazaLab's structured prescriptions, TrazaChat, and WhatsApp Bridge exist specifically for this problem. Medit Link's Case Talk is too basic for complex clinical coordination.
At this size, you need visual pipeline management, role-based access, and clear handoffs between technicians. Medit Link doesn't offer production tracking. TrazaLab's Kanban pipeline and team features handle growth without switching systems later.
If you're a one-person lab and every dollar counts, Medit Link's free tier gives you scan delivery and basic messaging at zero cost. Graduate to TrazaLab when you need case management, file handling for non-Medit sources, or clinical communication tools.
Keep Medit Link for direct scan delivery from Medit scanners. Use TrazaLab for everything after — case management, communication, prescriptions, and multi-source file handling. The two platforms complement each other naturally.
Not sure where your lab falls? Read our full guide on choosing dental lab software, or start a free trial to see TrazaLab's capabilities firsthand.
Understanding why scanner-agnostic case management matters requires understanding the scanner market in 2026.
Five years ago, most clinics used one of two scanner brands. Today, the landscape includes Medit (i500, i700, i900), 3Shape TRIOS (3, 4, 5), Align iTero (Element 5D, Element Plus), Planmeca Emerald (S, Emerald), Dentsply Sirona Primescan, Carestream CS 3800, and several others. Each brand has its own export format, its own cloud platform, and its own workflow assumptions.
For a dental lab, this means your incoming cases could arrive from any combination of these scanners. A lab in San Diego might receive Medit scans from one clinic, iTero exports from another, and TRIOS files from a third. A lab in Madrid serves clinics across Spain, each with their own scanner preference.
When your lab software is tied to one scanner brand, you're forced into one of two compromises:
Compromise A: Multiple platforms. Run Medit Link for Medit cases, iTero web portal for iTero cases, and email/WeTransfer for everything else. Each case lives in a different system. Your pipeline view is fragmented. Communication is scattered. Nobody has a clear picture of total lab workload.
Compromise B: Lowest common denominator. Ignore scanner-specific platforms entirely and manage everything through generic tools — email, cloud storage, spreadsheets. You gain a unified view but lose all the benefits of structured case management.
TrazaLab eliminates both compromises. Every case, from every scanner, from every clinic, lives in one system. The platform accepts any file format up to 5 GB. The clinical file handling treats STL, PLY, OBJ, DICOM, and photographic files equally. And the case management layer — pipeline, prescriptions, communication, tracking — applies to every case regardless of origin.
That's not a philosophical argument. It's a practical one. A lab that processes 40 cases per week across 3 scanner brands can't afford to context-switch between platforms for every case. One inbox, one pipeline, one communication thread per case — that's what scanner-agnostic architecture delivers.
Dental scan files and patient photos are protected health information. The platform that handles them needs security that matches the sensitivity of the data. Here's how the two platforms compare on compliance:
Medit Link uses cloud encryption for data in transit and at rest. Scan files are stored on Medit's infrastructure. Access is controlled through Medit account credentials. The platform is widely used globally, which suggests operational security — but Medit does not publicly advertise specific HIPAA or GDPR compliance certifications for Medit Link as a standalone service.
TrazaLab was built from the ground up with regulatory compliance as a core architectural requirement, not an afterthought. The platform implements:
For labs that handle patient data across borders — a common scenario for labs in Mexico serving US clinics, or labs in Spain serving EU-wide — having a platform that explicitly addresses HIPAA and GDPR requirements is not optional. It's a liability question.
For labs that receive scans from multiple scanner brands — not just Medit — TrazaLab is the best alternative in 2026. It accepts files from any scanner (Medit, iTero, TRIOS, Planmeca), adds full case management with Kanban tracking, and includes clinical messaging, digital prescriptions, and 5 GB file uploads. If your lab only works with Medit scanners and needs nothing beyond scan delivery, Medit Link's free tier may be sufficient.
Yes. Many labs use Medit Link for receiving scans from Medit scanners and TrazaLab for managing the full case lifecycle. Medit Link handles the scan delivery, TrazaLab handles everything after — case tracking, communication, file management for non-Medit sources, prescriptions, and delivery coordination. The two platforms complement each other. See how TrazaLab manages the full case lifecycle.
TrazaLab is scanner-agnostic. It accepts STL, PLY, OBJ, DCM, and any other file format from any scanner — Medit i500, i700, i900, 3Shape TRIOS, iTero Element, Planmeca Emerald, and others. Files up to 5 GB can be uploaded with resumable uploads. TrazaLab doesn't replace the scanner's native export — it manages the case those files belong to. Learn about clinical file handling.
Medit Link offers a free starter tier with limited cloud storage and basic case management. Paid tiers unlock additional features like expanded storage, analytics, and payment management. However, Medit Link only works with Medit scanners. Labs receiving scans from multiple brands still need a separate system for non-Medit cases.
TrazaLab adds full case management capabilities that Medit Link doesn't offer: visual Kanban pipeline tracking, structured digital prescriptions, AI-powered voice transcription, uncompressed shade photography, WhatsApp notification bridge, role-based access control with HIPAA compliance, and support for files from any scanner brand up to 5 GB. Medit Link focuses on scan delivery and basic case communication within the Medit ecosystem. Browse all TrazaLab tools.
TrazaLab starts at approximately $9.40 USD per month per lab after a free 14-day trial. There are no per-seat fees or scanner restrictions. Medit Link's free tier costs nothing but is limited in storage and features. The key cost difference is that TrazaLab replaces multiple tools (case management, messaging, file sharing, prescriptions) while Medit Link primarily handles scan delivery. Start your free trial here.
TrazaLab is a fully responsive cloud platform that works in any mobile browser — Chrome, Safari, Firefox. There is nothing to install. Lab owners can check pipeline status, approve cases, and communicate with clinics from their phone or tablet. Medit Link also offers mobile access through its dedicated app for scan viewing and Case Talk messaging.
Yes. TrazaLab uses AES-256 encryption at rest and in transit, role-based access control, audit logging, and one-click access revocation. The platform follows both HIPAA security standards and GDPR (EU data protection). Learn more about TrazaLab security and compliance.
No credit card. No installation. No scanner restrictions. Start with one case from any source and see if scanner-agnostic case management is what your lab has been missing.
Third-party sources referenced in this comparison: