Thomas M. Prescott, president and CEO of Align Technology Inc, spoke about three new Invisalign products at the annual JPMorgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco last week. An archived replay will remain on the Align Web site for the next 3 months.
The three products, Vivera Retainers, Invisalign Teen, and Invisalign ClinAssist, are expected to streamline an orthodontic practice to help practitioners plan and manage cases more efficiently.
"For the past 2 years we have focused on Align’s long-term strategy and the opportunity we have to further penetrate our market through product innovation," Prescott said. "This is the year our product development strategy is coming to life. 2008 marks a new direction in the way Align develops and delivers the technology, clinical expertise, and benefits of the Invisalign system to our customers and their patients."
Vivera retainers are a long-term retention product designed for patients who wear and do not wear Invisalign. Vivera retainers are shipped directly to patients or to the treating practitioner four times each year through an annual subscription program. Unlike traditional clear retainers, Vivera retainers are made with the same technology as Invisalign aligners, which provide a comfortable fit. Vivera’s thermoplastic material is more than 30% stronger than other clear retainer materials. Vivera Retainers are available now through Invisalign orthodontists and dentists in North America.
Invisalign Teen is designed to meet the needs of teenagers. It features an aligner wear indicator to help gauge patient compliance. The aligner addresses the natural eruption of key teeth and root control issues common in patients between the ages of 13 and 19. Three free replacement aligners can be shipped during active treatment to cover potential aligner loss. Invisalign Teen is scheduled to be released later this year.
Invisalign ClinAssist is designed as a consultative device for practitioners who want an efficient treatment process with built-in monitoring tools and progress checks. Its features include a simplified submission process, case monitoring support by Align Technology to help orthodontists keep cases on track, and staged shipment of aligners based on the treatment progress. Invisalign ClinAssist will be available later this year or in early 2009.
