Align Technology is excited to announce the release of Invisalign Smile Architect – a proprietary ortho-restorative treatment planning software. This workflow within the proprietary Invisalign ClinCheck® 3D orthodontic planning platform allows doctors to plan orthodontic tooth positioning in concert with the esthetic smile design goal when restorative treatment follows orthodontia.
The software is revolutionizing digital treatment planning by providing dentists and specialists with greater flexibility, consistency of treatment preferences, and real-time treatment plan and visualization capabilities. Invisalign Smile Architect is designed to enhance the quality, predictability, and efficiency of customized Invisalign® treatment plans which may contribute to better doctor-patient engagement and treatment outcomes.1
In this article, we share insights from thought leaders on the transformative impact that Invisalign Smile Architect has had on treatment planning and patient care.
A comprehensive approach: Orthodontic meets restorative care
Restorative cases make up the bulk of all procedures performed by general dentists.2 Based on Align’s survey data of current dental practitioners in the US, 45% of prosthodontic procedures could benefit from pre-treatment tooth alignment.* In another survey of 98 US-based Invisalign providers, 88% of them think it is necessary to have a patient’s teeth in the optimal position before starting any restorative procedures.2 The survey also found that 96% of Invisalign providers agree that improving pre-restorative tooth position with Invisalign treatment can benefit esthetics and function.2
While orthodontic care focuses on using dental devices to straighten teeth and correct malocclusion, the objectives of restorative care are to: (a) restore the structure, function, and integrity of the teeth3 and to (b) support proper functioning of the bite system, which includes proper temporomandibular joint functioning. Our thought leaders feel that restorative care may also promote comfort by alleviating tooth pain. These 2 areas have been traditionally thought of as distinct subfields within dentistry; recently, however, experts have recognized that there are tremendous benefits to combining orthodontic and restorative care.4
Why should dentists who plan and perform restorative cases think about orthodontics?
Dr. Donovan: “I’m a prosthodontist by training, which means I’m a restorative dentist. But the reason I got into orthodontics was so that I can perform tooth movement before starting a lot of my restorative cases. I have been moving teeth for quite some time now and I think it’s a key component of my practice. It allows me to offer patients a better-quality result because of it.”
Dr. Gibson: “We think about prevention in terms of a comprehensive approach. When you don’t replace a missing tooth with an implant or bridge that stabilizes the bite, then long term, the teeth will shift and be in the wrong axial line angle. Transverse relationships and vertical relationships are disease states, so the orthodontic channel should be in every practice. Otherwise, you’re doing aggressive dentistry. You want to fix all the entities that come together as a whole.”
Opportunities for success with Invisalign Smile Architect
The Invisalign Smile Architect software allows doctors to view, modify, and customize smile proportions according to patients’ facial anatomy. Based on the prescription provided, the initial treatment plan gives doctors the ability to visualize the patient’s initial smile design target, as well as make continuous modifications to the treatment plan to achieve an optimal smile target outcome. Doctors can also use restorative objects included in the ClinCheck® software to proactively plan movement for spaces where future restorations are needed.
Invisalign Smile Architect is empowering dentists to unlock orthodontic-restorative opportunities which include better visual education which could improve case acceptance and improved compatibility in transferring patient dental records to external labs.
Invisalign Smile Architect is designed to provide treatment planning for general dentists, prosthodontists, orthodontists, and other oral health specialists aspiring to provide both restorative procedures and orthodontic services, and who are looking for a seamlessly integrated treatment planning solution.1
Is there an Invisalign Smile Architect™ story you wish to share?
Dr. Gibson: “Do you know what it’s like to just show patients a wax-up? It’s like giving them a stone model and saying, ‘trust me, this is what your smile will look like.’ Now with Invisalign Smile Architect, I look forward to a more comprehensive approach. Now I can explain to patients what we can do for their smile. That’s where the advantage of Invisalign Smile Architect adds to the equation.”
Dr. Donovan: “I got involved with Invisalign Smile Architect early on. I was asked to provide inputs on some of the In-Face Visualization components, such as where to put the facial lines, how to overlay images, and several other parameters. But then when I saw the final product and started exploring its features, it far exceeded my expectations.”
Learn more about the ortho-restorative opportunity and Invisalign Smile Architect here.
*Based on survey data of current Dental Practitioners in the USA, doctors (n=251) were asked “What percent of the patient cases for prosthodontic procedures (ie, veneers, implants, bridges, partials) would have benefited from a better initial position of the teeth?” An average of 45% was developed from the doctor’s responses.
- Align Technology Feb-02-2022 Press Release. Available at: https://investor.aligntech.com/news-releases/news-release-details/align-technology-continues-revolutionize-orthodontic-and
- Align. Data on file. 2017-2020.
- Orthodontia – Medline Plus. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/orthodontia.html
- Kuijpers MA, Loomans B. De gecombineerde orthodontisch restauratieve behandeling [Combined orthodontic and restorative
The opinions expressed in this Advertorial are those of the thought leaders and may not reflect those of Align Technology.
The thought leaders who contributed their insights for this Advertorial were compensated by Align Technology, Inc. for their participation.
