Employee Benefit Plans (Allocation of Pension Plan Assets) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of pension plan assets	100.00%	100.00%
Target allocation	100.00%
Number of CONMED shares in Plan	27,562
Fair value of CONMED shares in Plan	$ 0.8
Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of pension plan assets	76.00%	69.00%
Target allocation	75.00%
Debt Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of pension plan assets	24.00%	31.00%
Target allocation	25.00%

The amount of employer securities or securities of parties related to the employer that are included in plan assets.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (n)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21915506&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph n

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

The number of employer shares or related party shares included in plan assets.

+ References

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- Definition

Target allocation of investments of this type to total plan assets presented on a weighted average basis.

+ References

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- Definition

Percentage of fair value of investments (categorized by debt securities, equity securities, real estate and other plan assets) to the fair value of plan assets held.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21915506&loc=d3e2446-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21915506&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph d(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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