Dented rims suck. You can bend them back and they may last for many more years, but they’ll never quite be the same. If you’re running tubeless and they seal, you’ll still wonder in the back of your mind whether they’ll lose pressure at the most inopportune time.
Carbon’s worth the money, IMO. They don’t dent. They can explode with a big enough hit that would probably also destroy an aluminum rim, but crash replacement discounts are fairly common now.
I’ve had good luck with Santa Cruz Reserve, Roval, and Enve wheelsets.