SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 29, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGN) today announced a new addition to its Invisalign product family: Invisalign Teen for non-adult, comprehensive orthodontic treatment. With Invisalign Teen(TM), teenagers get clear, removable aligners that meet their desire for aesthetic treatment and their need for appliances that fit their busy schedules of sports, music and other activities. According to consumer research conducted by Align, Invisalign is the most recognized orthodontic brand by teenagers age 13 to 17; two-thirds of respondents in the same age group indicated that Invisalign would be their first choice of orthodontic treatment.

According to the American Association of Orthodontists(i), patients age 12 to 17 years represent more than half of the more than 2 million orthodontic case starts in the U.S. each year. Until now, only a small number of orthodontists have routinely treated teenagers with Invisalign due to concerns about patient compliance and the ongoing development of permanent dentition; Invisalign treatment has been used primarily for adults and older teens. Invisalign Teen addresses orthodontists' demand for a product tailored to younger patients whose second molars have begun growing in. Invisalign Teen leverages the innovative technology and proven efficacy of the Invisalign system, along with new features and specially engineered aligners that address patient compliance and dentition challenges common in teen patients.

"We are thrilled to be able to offer orthodontists and their teen patients the clear benefits of the Invisalign system," said Darrell Zoromski, Align Technology vice president of global marketing. "Since commercial shipments of Invisalign began in 1999, Align has grown tremendously on the merits of its first generation product. The introduction of Invisalign Teen gives us a better opportunity to reach this mainstream patient segment within orthodontic practices and lays the foundation for continued innovation and long term growth."

Gauging Compliance

In a 2007 survey commissioned by Align, orthodontists cited patient compliance as their number one concern when treating teen patients. In response, Align designed Invisalign Teen aligners with compliance indicators that provide a visual cue of approximate patient wear. When worn as directed, the indicators fade from dark to light blue or clear during the two week wear period for each set of aligners -- providing doctors, parents and patients with a visible monitor of compliance.

In another move to help ensure continuous aligner wear, Align includes up to six free individual arch replacement aligners to compensate for aligner loss or breakage during active Invisalign Teen treatment. "One of the benefits of Invisalign Teen treatment is the ability to remove the aligners for sports, music lessons and for meals at school or on the go. We recognize how easy it might be for an aligner to get lost during a teen's hectic day, so replacement aligners will help ensure that compliance doesn't become a stumbling block during treatment," said Mr. Zoromski.

Meeting Teen Dentition Needs

In addition to compliance concerns, orthodontists identified dentition issues common to teen patients. Teenagers often begin orthodontic treatment while their permanent teeth are still coming in, or "erupting." Invisalign Teen accommodates this growth by allowing doctors to prescribe the space necessary for erupting teeth and has aligners with specially engineered "eruption tabs" to compensate for second molars that continue erupting during treatment. Invisalign Teen aligners also include a new feature called Power Ridges(TM) which are designed to provide additional force in cases where certain types of root movement are prescribed. Power Ridges are engineered into the aligner shape, and are used instead of attachments that are traditionally bonded onto the teeth to help achieve certain difficult tooth movements.

Dr. Orhan C. Tuncay, chairman of the department of orthodontics at the Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University, serves as lead investigator for Align's teen marketing study and sees Invisalign Teen's potential for improving compliance and for increasing efficiency and profitability in his practice: "As a product, Invisalign Teen is a trouble-free alternative to braces. It eliminates appointments to replace broken brackets, worries of decalcification, poking wire emergencies, poor tooth brushing, and the like. Fewer appointments and no emergencies significantly decompress the daily schedule in my practice and improve profitability. Teenagers like Invisalign Teen treatment for many of the same reasons and are actually more cooperative than their parents might give them credit for -- giving teenagers a choice of braces or Invisalign treatment makes them feel empowered about their treatment. In turn, they cooperate more responsibly."

Invisalign Teen is now available through Invisalign-trained doctors in North America.

Second Quarter of Fiscal 2008 Financial Results

In a separate announcement today Align also announced quarterly financial results. For more information, please see Align's press release titled, "Align Technology Announces Second Quarter Fiscal 2008 Results."

About Align Technology, Inc.

Align Technology designs, manufactures and markets Invisalign, a proprietary method for treating malocclusion, or the misalignment of teeth. Invisalign corrects malocclusion using a series of clear, nearly invisible, removable appliances that gently move teeth to a desired final position. Because it does not rely on the use of metal or ceramic brackets and wires, Invisalign significantly reduces the aesthetic and other limitations associated with braces. Invisalign is appropriate for treating adults and older teens. Align Technology was founded in March 1997 and received FDA clearance to market Invisalign in 1998.

To learn more about Invisalign or to find a certified Invisalign doctor in your area, please visit http://www.invisalign.com or call 1-800-INVISIBLE.

     Investor Relations Contact              Press Contact
     Shirley Stacy                           Shannon Mangum Henderson
     Align Technology, Inc.                  Ethos Communication, Inc.
     (408) 470-1150                          (678) 540-9222
     sstacy@aligntech.com                    align@ethoscommunication.com

     (i) 2006 American Association of Orthodontists Member Survey

SOURCE Align Technology, Inc.

http://www.invisalign.com

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