Align’s new innovation leverages the SmartForce aligner activation to offer a more aesthetic solution for an enhanced Invisalign patient experience.
Align Technology is the leading medical device company behind the Invisalign System of clear aligners, iTero intraoral scanners, and exocad CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry. The company has introduced a new SmartForce feature. This attachment-free aligner activation helps minimise the number of attachments while maintaining predictable treatment outcomes.
The new SmartForce attachment-free aligner activation feature builds on Align’s foundational biomechanics for clear aligners and its database of more than 17 million Invisalign patients to optimise tooth movements. It is the latest of the company’s many biomechanical innovations that enhance experiences for patients in Invisalign treatment.
Built into the Align Digital Platform, this feature is the newest innovation as part of the Align digital workflow. The Align digital workflow includes dedicated tools and capabilities for each stage of the Invisalign treatment journey. A related update to ClinCheck treatment planning will also include Live Update for 3D Controls that includes an attachment-free aligner activation selection.
What new features have been released?
SmartForce features, which include optimised attachments that are small tooth-coloured shapes attached to teeth, are designed to deliver precise forces when and where needed to achieve more predictable tooth movements. Double attachments are often needed on upper central (front) teeth to achieve desired mesiodistal root movements.
Although optimised attachments are crucial for successful Invisalign treatment, with this new release, certain movements now can be achieved using a similar force system through aligner activation, reducing the need for double attachments on the centrals. If an attachment is still needed for certain scenarios, aligner activation will be present with a single optimised root control attachment as with other teeth such as canines and premolars.
‘After extensive research it was clear to us that our doctors and their patients needed an aesthetic solution for an enhanced Invisalign treatment experience,’ said Raj Pudipeddi, Align chief product and marketing officer, executive vice president and managing director Asia Pacific. ‘With this game changing innovation that builds on Align’s aligner activation innovations, we address the needs of doctors and their patients without compromising exceptional Invisalign treatment outcomes.’
‘Excellent clinical care and improved aesthetics’
With the introduction of the new attachment-free aligner activation feature, doctors can enhance the already excellent clinical care and improved aesthetics they deliver using Invisalign treatment. Analysis of over two million Invisalign treatment cases indicates that up to 38% of future cases may benefit from the new SmartForce aligner-free activation features for mesio-distal root movement.*
‘Today, continued development of SmartForce features, especially SmartForce aligner activation, which uses strategic areas of contact of the aligners on the tooth for control of movements, allows doctors to reduce the number of visible attachments, including eliminating attachments in some cases, on the upper anterior teeth for diastema, mesio-distal uprighting, and midline shift to elevate their patients’ treatment experiences without compromising patient comfort and their treatment outcomes,’ said Dr Mitra Derakhshan, senior vice president, global clinical, Align Technology.
‘In cases where attachments are still necessary to ensure the optimal force systems, a single optimised root control attachment with SmartForce aligner activation is designed to achieve the same movement instead of the more visible double attachment.’
*Data on file, Align Technology
For additional information about the Invisalign system or to find an Invisalign doctor in your area, please visit www.invisalign.com.
The new SmartForce feature with attachment-free aligner activation is expected to be available in the first half of 2024.
