Michael UngarCEO of the Industry 4.0 Club

Invisalign: How 3D Printing Revolutionized Orthodontics

3 Apr 2026 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

1:38

In this presentation, the speaker explains how additive manufacturing and digital scanning have transformed orthodontic treatment, using Invisalign as the flagship example. He contrasts the old‑school, manual process of fitting wires and rubber bands with the modern workflow: an intra‑oral scanner creates a digital model of a patient’s teeth, software simulates a multi‑stage treatment plan (often 18 trays over 36 weeks or more), and automated 3D‑printing/vacuum‑forming produces a series of clear aligner trays. These trays gradually move teeth without traditional braces, enabling new business models for orthodontists and offering patients a more comfortable, aesthetic solution. The speaker expresses personal enthusiasm, noting he wishes such technology had existed when he was a teenager.

Chapters

In the additive world, some of these technologies truly do allow new businesses to be born. And the greatest example of that in the additive world and in the design world is actually the Invisalign story, which is these digital retainers, if you will. I never thought about that. Yeah, I never thought about that. So if you think about what happens with an orthodontist, old school, the drafting board equivalent analog, to, to the, the orthodontist was them sitting there putting the, the pieces of wire and twisting them and put the rubber bands for kids getting their braces right. Well, now a lot of orthodontists will, will sit there and they'll take a scanner and they'll create a digital scan of your, your model as is, meaning your teeth as, as they are. And then working with, with, uh, the Invisalign and aligner companies, they'll take that digital model And then they'll actually simulate a treatment plan that might be over 18, you know, 18 different trays, if you will, which might represent a total of 36 weeks or even could be a year. And digitally, they'll kind of move the teeth a little bit each time. And then using additive, they actually can go and produce those trays in an automated fashion so that you can get 18 sets— Wow. 18 sets of these retainers That then they vacuum form it with material that you can actually put in your mouth, and that can actually over time move your teeth and actually replace the, you know, bands and the, and the electrical wires. Well, I wish I had that when I was 13.