Will a new CBCT work with my current setup?

Key facts

Will my workstation handle 3D?

Probably not if it was bought for 2D. Planmeca's Romexis 6 requirements for 3D imaging start at an Intel Core i5 6th gen or equivalent, with an i7 desktop recommended. Workstation RAM ranges from 8 GB for ProMax 3D s and Classic to 16 GB for ProMax 3D Plus and Mid, and 32 GB for Viso G5 and G7. Planmeca recommends 20 GB for Implant Guide or Superimpose and 32 GB for the Surgery module. Romexis Smart needs a 4 GB NVIDIA GPU (Planmeca).

Carestream's CS 3D Imaging (Edition 04, December 2025) needs at least an Intel Core i5 and 8 GB RAM, or 16 GB with metal artifact reduction. It wants a dedicated graphics card with 1 GB supporting OpenGL 3.2 and a Full HD display. Its Premium tier needs a 12th gen i5 and a 6 GB graphics card, and should connect to the internet at least every 7 days. Carestream also notes CS 3D isn't designed for Windows touchscreens (Carestream).

Check the chairside PCs too. If doctors will review volumes in the operatory, those machines need the 3D spec, not just the imaging room PC.

Is my network fast enough?

Plan on gigabit wired. Carestream specifies 1000BaseT (1 Gb/s) for CS 3D (Carestream). GCMM, a dental contractor, notes CBCT files can exceed 500 MB per scan. It specifies a dedicated Cat6A run from the wiring closet to the imaging unit, not daisy-chained through an operatory switch (GCMM). If your office has an old 100 Mb switch or Wi-Fi-only review stations, that's where the slowness will show up. Map the run in Studio, and the network & IT plan generator (free tool, coming soon) will add it to the drop schedule. See the low-voltage plan.

Does my server have room?

Volumes are big, and you'll keep them for years. Planmeca recommends a Romexis server with 16 GB RAM and 2 × 1 TB in RAID1 mirroring, and notes large volumes or multi-user environments may need more server memory (Planmeca). Plan backups to match. See dental practice data backup.

Will it talk to my practice management software?

That depends on the bridge, and the bridge depends on versions.

• Romexis supports DICOM 3.0, TWAIN, PMBridge and VDDS for patient information and images (Planmeca).
• Dentrix with Carestream: Dentrix Imaging supports acquiring CBCT images through the Carestream bridge with Carestream Imaging v8.0.15 or later. The acquisition agent must be configured for DICOM, and the Patients path should be a network location every computer can reach. For 3D volumes, the DICOM cache folder should be shared, with enough storage (Dentrix).
• Dentrix Ascend acquires 3D volumes through third-party programs using a "CBCT Volume" imaging procedure, and publishes a list of supported acquisition devices (Dentrix Ascend, Dentrix Ascend devices).
• Open Dental publishes its list of program bridges (Open Dental).

Ask the vendor for the exact PMS version, imaging software version and bridge they've tested. Sensor-side issues are in x-ray sensor and PMS compatibility. The compatibility checker (free tool, coming soon) will run that check against your current inventory.

What about the room and the state?

A CBCT changes your shielding situation. North Carolina requires a new shielding plan review when a panoramic unit is upgraded to pan/CT (NC DHHS). South Carolina requires shielding plans for all dental CT units (SC DES).

Who should run the compatibility check?

The imaging dealer and your IT provider, together, before the purchase order. The dealer knows the unit's requirements. Your IT provider knows what's actually on your network: workstation models, switch ports, server disk space and software versions. When only one side checks, the gaps show up on install day. Ask for a written sign-off from both that names the workstation, switch port, storage location and bridge version.

Pre-purchase checklist

• Workstation spec for every PC that will view volumes
• Dedicated gigabit drop to the unit
• Switch, server storage and backup sized for volumes
• PMS, imaging software and bridge versions confirmed in writing
• Shielding review and state registration steps identified
• Software licenses and portal accounts in the practice's name

How FloorStack helps

The compatibility checker (free tool, coming soon) will compare a CBCT's requirements against your workstations, network and PMS. The network & IT plan generator (free tool, coming soon) will add the dedicated drop and storage to your IT plan. The free Studio plan shows the imaging room, cable run and review stations on your floor plan. FloorStack is a vendor-neutral dental build-out platform. See the Dental Equipment Inventory hub.

Free tools for this step

• Compatibility checker (free tool, coming soon): check a CBCT against your current setup.
• Network & IT plan generator (free tool, coming soon): plan the drop, switch and storage.
• Studio (live, free plan): place the imaging room and review stations.