Align Technology - Align Technology, Inc. of Santa Clara, California manufactures and markets Invisalign®, a method doctors use to treat malocclusion, or the misalignment of teeth. Because it does not rely on metal or ceramic brackets and wires, Invisalign reduces some of the limitations associated with traditional braces, including patient concerns about aesthetics and discomfort. Statistics show that with experience, doctors can use Invisalign to treat a vast majority of patients who want a better smile.

Company History - The company was founded in 1997 by Zia Chishti and Kelsey Wirth, who realized the benefit of applying advanced 3-D computer imaging to the field of orthodontics. Like many breakthrough inventions, the idea for Invisalign grew from happenstance. Chishti wore braces as an adult, which he found awkward and embarrassing. When his braces were removed he wore a clear plastic retainer. He noticed that when he neglected to wear the retainer for several days his teeth would move, and upon reinsertion his teeth would shift back to their desired, straightened state. Chishti’s simple observation that a clear plastic device was capable of moving his teeth led him to conceptualize the process that became Invisalign. Yet the idea of using a series of appliances to move teeth is not new to orthodontics. In 1945, Dr. Kesling first described the concept of moving teeth using a series of planned, individual stages. He realized that the lab requirements would be significant, and could not envision a practical way to make the idea a reality. Kesling did have the foresight to state that technology would one day be available to make such treatment possible. More information is available at www.invisalign.com.