Segment Operating Income (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Segment operating income	$ 381,939,000		$ 300,728,000		$ 380,273,000
Restructuring and other costs	25,717,000		35,865,000		10,984,000
Interest expense	56,851,000		43,814,000		25,089,000
Interest income	(8,760,000)		(8,237,000)		(4,254,000)
Other expense (income), net	3,169,000		9,040,000		1,782,000
Income before income taxes	330,679,000		256,111,000		357,656,000
Business acquisitions related costs			44,200,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Dental Consumable and Laboratory Businesses Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Segment operating income	227,912,000		210,239,000		208,873,000
Operating Segments [Member] | OrthodonticsCanadaMexicoJapan Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Segment operating income	16,596,000		15,753,000		42,106,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Select Distribution Businesses Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Segment operating income	(339,000)		2,496,000		12,197,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Implants/Endodontics/Healthcare/Pacific Rim Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Segment operating income	282,436,000		210,900,000		209,384,000
Operating Segments [Member] | All Other
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Segment operating income	(118,949,000)	[1]	(102,795,000)	[1]	(81,303,000)	[1]
Operating Segments, Corporate and Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Segment operating income	407,656,000		336,593,000		391,257,000
Astra Tech [Member]
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Business acquisitions related costs			$ 31,900,000

[1] Includes results of Corporate headquarters, inter-segment eliminations and one distribution warehouse not managed by named segments. Amount recorded in 2011 includes $31.9 million of Astra Tech acquisition cost