Will Invisalign Overtake Traditional Metal Braces?

Over the last 10 years the Align Technologies (ALGN) stock has increased over 1900%. A stock that was around $12 a share back in 2008 has recently eclipsed $250 a share before a recent pullback. It seems that with every earnings release, the company breaks new records. Their main product, and definitely the money maker, is Invisalign. The invisible braces craze has gone viral as most orthodontists are now pushing Invisalign over metal braces. There are a number of reasons for this.

Reasons for Invisalign

1. Invisalign allows orthodontists to straighten teeth without having to put metal braces and wires on teeth. This takes out a significant amount of labor and it feels much better for patients. No longer is it the case that an orthodontist has to sit over a patient’s mouth for an hour trying to attach metal brackets or tighten metal wires on traditional braces. As Raleigh Orthodontist Jason Gladwell explains “Invisalign is beneficial to both the patient and the orthodontist. The entire staff feels better as they know patients are going to walk out of my office with a smile on their face knowing they do not have to go through the struggles of having metal braces.”
2. There are less emergencies with Invisalign. When wearing metal braces, many children and teenagers often have one or two emergencies. This tends to happen when they are playing a sport, roughing it up with a brother or sister or simply cut their cheek or lip with one of the wires. Having to constantly be aware that there is metal in one’s mouth makes it difficult to take part in daily athletic activities. There is even a need for a special mouthpiece athletes must wear if they have traditional metal braces.
3. Invisalign trays and aligners can be easily updated. With Invisalign, patients can go into their local orthodontist, get scanned and find out which set of Invisalign trays come next. This process is seamless and allows patients to enjoy their visit to the orthodontist rather than dread it. Great Falls, Virginia Invisalign Specialist Dr. Shane Costa states that more orthodontic patients come to his office excited about the experience rather than coming in fearful of what might happen with their metal braces. This makes it much more fulfilling to create that gorgeous smile.
4. Metal braces are a thing of the past. Must like amalgam cavity fillings, traditional metal braces are a thing of the past. No longer do elementary and middle school students desire to have a “metal mouth”. In the past, braces were accepted as a way to straighten one’s teeth. In 2018, they are looked as a cheap alternative to Invisalign.
5. No issues with food getting caught or trouble eating specific foods. With metal braces, it is nearly impossible to get those pieces of popcorn out of your teeth. It is also a struggle to floss and brush properly. While some children and teenagers are diligently about brushing and cleaning the metal wires, most are not. Over the course of the treatment, it is very possible to get cavities or create gum issues because flossing and brushing are not intuitive. One of Lakewood Colorado’s most renowned Invisalign specialist, Dr. Brian Levitin explains that many problematic issues arise with children that have metal braces. Even though the braces are only only for two years, these are two very important years when it comes to oral health. With Invisalign, patients tend to do a much better job of flossing and brushing.

Invisalign is the Future of Orthodontics

There are a number of orthodontists that have started to market their Invisalign division as the entire practice. This will likely continue in the years to come as Invisalign is beneficial for both patients and orthodontists. In fact, a large part of the Invisalign process can be completed by the staff at an orthodontics office. This gives the orthodontist more time to spend on face to face time with patients, parents and loved ones.

It will be interesting to see if Align Technologies can continue to exceed analyst’s estimates and push their stock price higher. If you believe in Invisalign as a product, Align Technologies is the stock to buy.