Toronto Invisalign Doctor Discusses: Invisalign Makes a Change to Mid-Course Correction and Refinement

Your Whitby Orthodontist is happy to let you know about a new development with Invisalign treatment.  A couple of weeks ago, Align Technology changed their policy on Mid-Course Correction and Refinement, eliminating them for a process called "Additional Aligners".

Oshawa Orthodontist Share Banner for Additional Aligners on Align Website

Previously, offices taking a new scan or impression for a patient before finishing their whole cycle of aligners was known as mid-course correction.  If due to a lack of patient compliance or new dental work, a lab fee was required to be paid by the office requesting more aligners.  At the end of a cycle of aligners, regular Invisalign and Invisalign Teen treatments were eligible for up to 3 refinement sets.   The next set of refinement could be ordered before an expiration date set by Align, after which the case would be closed, and a new lab fee required.

There were many scenarios where this caused an issue, particularly with more complicated treatments where aligner plans were much longer.  Align has now changed their policy to allow for unlimited additional aligners for up to five years for regular, Teen, and Assist cases.  They will no longer distinguish between mid-course correction and refinement.  However, they will charge a lab fee of up to 40% of the current lab fee cost if there has been a significant lapse between when treatment should have ended and when additional aligners are ordered.

Note that this does not necessarily present and difference to individual patient treatments, because what is included in an orthodontic plan depends on your financial contract with the office you have selected.  Since most of the work is completed by the office during the planning stages of the ClinCheck, many offices will still likely continue to charge a professional fee for developing extra simulations, depending on the specifics of your contract.