SAN JOSE, Calif., June 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGN) today announced the award of ten research grants under the company’s Annual Research Award Program. The global interest in research of dental and orthodontic treatment continues to grow as evidenced by the increasing number of applications Align Technology receives each year from universities around the world.

“As leaders in clear aligner therapy, we remain committed to supporting universities around the world who are dedicated to the improvement of orthodontic and dental patient care,” said Zelko Relic, Align Technology chief technology officer and senior vice president, global research & development. “Now in its tenth year of funding, we continue to support international research with increasing investments in the EMEA and APAC regions.”

The Americas research award recipients for 2019 are:

• University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) - Dr. Bingshuang Zou
• University of Texas at Houston (Houston, USA) - Dr. F. Kurtis Kasper

The European research award recipients for 2019 are:

• University of Mainz (Mainz, Germany) -  Dr. Christina Erbe
• University of Turin (Turin, Italy) – Dr. Serena Ravera
• Medical University of Vienna (Vienna, Austria) - Dr. Erwin Jonke
• University of Insubria (Varese, Italy) - Dr. Luca Levrini

The Asia Pacific research award recipients for 2019 are:

• University of Queensland (Queensland, Australia) - Dr. Tony Weir
• Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) - Dr. Wenli Lai
• Nanchang University (Nanchang, China) - Dr. Jun Wu
• Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) - Dr. Yu Li

The funded research studies cover a wide range of topics for projects seeking to better understand treatment in orthodontics and dentistry including: efficacy of 3-dimensional tooth movements, clinical evaluation of surface wear of attachments, comparing effects of two prescriptions using the mandibular advancement appliance, accuracy of interproximal reduction performed by doctors, efficacy of predefined tooth rotation with aligners, effectiveness of clear aligners in reducing incidence of root resorption and alveolar bone compared to fixed appliances, to determine the impact of intruding posterior teeth and tipping of the occlusal plane during treatment with aligners, and a survey to identify what requirements are important to patients who decide to be treated with aligners.

All award applications received were reviewed and prioritized by an independent academic committee in a blind evaluation. The final recipients were determined by Align Technology.

About Align Technology, Inc.
Align Technology designs and manufactures the Invisalign® system, the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, and iTero® intraoral scanners and services. Align’s products help dental professionals achieve the clinical results they expect and deliver effective, cutting-edge dental options to their patients. Visit www.aligntech.com for more information.

For additional information about the Invisalign system or to find an Invisalign doctor in your area, please visit www.invisalign.com. For additional information about iTero digital scanning system, please visit www.itero.com.

Investor Relations Contact        
Madelyn Homick                      
Align Technology, Inc.              
(408) 470-1180                         
mhomick@aligntech.com          

Press Contact              
Shannon Mangum Henderson
Ethos Communication, Inc.
(678) 261-7803
align@ethoscommunication.com

Source: Align Technology, Inc.