Article
Align Technology, Inc. (“Align”) (Nasdaq: ALGN) is a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign® system of clear aligners, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry.
Invisalign treatment with mandibular advancement is a clinically proven1 method for Class ll correction in teen patients providing the ability to treat more complex teen cases. The modality is able to simultaneously posture the jaw forward while aligning the teeth, and patients report satisfaction and increased comfort compared with traditional, fixed appliances.2 A clinical trial with forty patients demonstrated Invisalign treatment with mandibular advancement is effective in treating Class II malocclusion in growing teens.3
Enhanced precision wing designs announced
Align Technology recently announced a number of improvements to its Invisalign system with mandibular advancement by introducing an improved wing design to help mitigate buccal flaring, additional optimised attachments to increase aligner posterior retention and an update to its IDS treatment planning for precision cuts. Key design changes also make the wings longer and curved for greater durability compared with its previous iteration.4,5 Greater overlap of the upper and lower wings helps maintain the jaw posturing forward6, and an additional rib has been added to each wing.
Dr Owen Crotty, an orthodontist from Cork in Ireland, with 30 years of specialist experience has been using Invisalign Aligners with the mandibular advancement feature since shortly after its original release in 2017. Commenting on the newly enhanced system, he stated “One of the weak points that we've always had with Class II corrections is getting the patient to bifold into the proper postural position. The enhanced precision wings are stronger and they also have a greater depth, so therefore the interlocking of the wings is more secure, giving the patients greater security in achieving the correct forward posture. We're getting more effectiveness with the appliance without any deterioration in the comfort for the patient.”
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He added “The patients see the improvement in the alignment while I'm getting the actual posterior correction that I want and it is also very comfortable for them and it doesn't create the problems with speech that you would have with some other appliances we've known for years through our use of twin block appliances. If you can improve the posture in growing Class II patients you're going to achieve quite a bit of anthroposophy and correction at the same time”.
“We also know from our extensive use of the Invisalign Aligners over the years that they are very effective in aligning the teeth. So when you look at your Class II patients, you have an alignment problem to correct, and you also have an actual posterior problem to correct as well as vertical and natural problems to a lesser degree.
This combination of the Invisalign aligners to align the teeth together with the precision wings to get the mandibular advancement is effective in my view. It really gives me confidence to use the system as I know Align is constantly trying to improve on what is already a good product. So I expect to see even more improvements and enhancements into the future with this appliance. I enjoy using it.”
Invisalign treatment with mandibular advancement is meant for pre-teens and teens presenting with retrognathic Class II malocclusions in permanent dentition or stable late mixed dentition. The enhanced precision wings feature is integrated into the Invisalign aligners. In addition to advancing the mandible, Invisalign treatment with mandibular advancement simultaneously aligns and levels the teeth. Class II corrections can be achieved in single or multiple jumps. For more information please visit https://bit.ly/3AikD2X
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