General Aligner Concepts

Any new treatment or device invariably undergoes a period of adjustment and adaptation with users experiencing continuous improvements of the product or device over time. This is not different to Align Technology, Inc. San Jose, California, USA. Since the launch of their first aligners in 1999, various improvements including upgrades in CAT technology and types of materials used such as SmartTrack™ were brought to the market in a staged manner, with a high degree of success. The aligner underwent various upgrades reflected in the launch of several generations, with the latest one being generation 8. The workflows have also improved with the launch of iTero® intraoral scanners. The latter has rendered the use of conventional dental impressions although to date, the most thought practice at a graduate level, less contemporary and less apt in a modern technological era.