<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-26</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001121302</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYBRON DENTAL SPECIALTIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SYD</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001204143</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ZEE FRANCES B L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1717 WEST COLLINS AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ORANGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92867</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>VP  Regulatory Affairs</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-26</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>28.76</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>66</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By husband</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>16</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By daughter</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>621</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By 401(k) plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.6905</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-01-22</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-01-22</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1440</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1440</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>13.4871</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-01-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3969</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3969</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.3367</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-11-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>17665</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>17665</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.1509</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-01-27</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3898</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3898</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.9918</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F7"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-02-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4851</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4851</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.4375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F8"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-12-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>148883</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>148883</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securitites and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or any other purpose.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Includes any shares of common stock acquired under the 401(k) plan in transactions exempt from Section 16(b) pursuant to Rule 16b-3(c) since the date as of which information was given in the reporting person's most recent previous report. The number of shares in the plan attributable to any one participant varies with the price of the common stock. The information in this report is based on a plan statement dated as of September 30, 2003.</footnote><footnote id="F3">On December 11, 2000 Apogent Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Sybron International Corporation) made a pro rata distribution to its shareholders of record as of November 30, 2000 of all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Issuer (the &quot;Spin-Off&quot;). This option was issued as of 12/11/00 in connection with the Spin-Off in exchange for an option granted by Apogent Technologies Inc. on the same terms, except that the number of shares subject to the option and the exercise price per share were adjusted under a formula designed to preserve the aggregrate intrinsic value inherent in the Apogent option immediately prior to the Spin-Off.</footnote><footnote id="F4">This option vests in four equal annual installments beginning January 30, 1999.</footnote><footnote id="F5">This option vests in four equal annual installments beginning November 2, 1999.</footnote><footnote id="F6">This option vests in four equal annual installments beginning January 27, 2000.</footnote><footnote id="F7">This option vests in four equal annual installments beginning February 2, 2001.</footnote><footnote id="F8">This option vests in four equal annual installments beginning December 14, 2001.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Gisella Brett Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-01</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

