Align Technology introduces Invisalign G3

SAN JOSE, California--Align Technology has announced launch of Invisalign G3.

Invisalign G3 is engineered to deliver better clinical results with new aligner and software features that make it easier to use Invisalign with Class II and Class III patients, new SmartForce features designed for increased predictability of certain tooth movements, and simpler, more intuitive software to help streamline treatment planning and review.

Invisalign G3 builds on a new and improved feature set introduced to the Invisalign product line In 2009.

“The innovations in Invisalign G3 really get at the heart of what doctors have been asking for from Invisalign treatment,” said Sheila Tan, Align vice president, marketing and chief marketing officer.

“With technology and tools that are designed to expand the clinical scope of Invisalign, deliver greater predictability across most clinical situations, and make treatment planning more efficient. Invisalign G3 represents a tremendous leap forward in Invisalign innovation, and demonstrates how we leverage our technology to deliver the clinical outcomes doctors expect.”

The treatment of Class II/III malocclusion often requires the use of interarch elastics to provide anchorage control. Previously, doctors had to manually cut the aligners to accommodate the use of elastics, which may have discouraged the use of Invisalign in these cases.

Invisalign G3 addresses this barrier with new Precision Cuts, which are doctor-prescribed pre-cuts in the aligners that accommodate the use of elastics. Using a new drag-and-drop interface in ClinCheck 3.0 software, doctors have the flexibility to specify the placement and the type of Precision Cuts on the aligners, making it easier for doctors to use Invisalign.

“I am very excited about the new features and innovations in Invisalign G3, particularly Precision Cuts,” said Dr. Sam Daher, an orthodontist practicing in Vancouver, British Columbia. “It’s a significant enhancement to what I do in the office every day, and will make it even easier to use Invisalign on complex cases.”

SmartForce features, such as the Optimized Attachments introduced in 2009, are attachments and aligner features that are engineered to deliver the forces needed to achieve predictable tooth movements. Based on biomechanical principles, SmartForce features are customized to each tooth using advanced virtual modeling, and are positioned precisely to deliver proper forces.

New SmartForce features in Invisalign G3 include an Optimized Rotation Attachment for bicuspids (previously available only for cuspids), a new Power Ridge feature for lower anteriors (previously available only for the upper arch), and a Lingual Power Ridge feature for upper anteriors.

A new variation of the Optimized Rotation Attachment is also being introduced to address clinical situations in which placement of the attachment may have previously been difficult.

In addition to clinical tools and enhancements, Invisalign G3 helps streamline the overall treatment planning process.

Specifically, an evolution of the ClinCheck software makes it easier and more intuitive for doctors to create and modify Invisalign treatment plans. The addition of drag-and-drop interfaces for ordering Precision Cuts and attachments provides doctors with new tools designed to make it easier and more efficient for them to develop and review treatment plans.

The Invisalign Doctor Site (formerly Virtual Invisalign Practice or “VIP”) is a secure Web site where doctors access Invisalign patient records, review and approve ClinCheck treatment plans, view patient account status, and order treatment supplies.

A redesign of the site not only makes it simpler and more intuitive to use, but also consolidates a patient’s Invisalign records and treatment tasks in one location for easy access. The Invisalign Doctor Site also introduces a new online prescription form that is integrated with the doctor’s clinical preferences.

The improvements and innovations in Invisalign G3 also include new clinical preferences, improved staging for interproximal reduction, and the addition of Compliance Indicators to Invisalign Assist. Invisalign G3 features are scheduled to be available at no additional cost to Invisalign-trained doctors in North America in October 2010 with international availability slated for 2011.

To learn more about Invisalign, visit www.invisalign.com or call 1-800-INVISIBLE.

To read more about Align Technology, go to Align Technology.

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