The European Commission has decided to look closely at how you straighten teeth, or more precisely, at the machine a dentist uses to scan them.
Brussels has opened a formal antitrust investigation into Align Technology, the American company behind Invisalign, over suspicions that it illegally ties its iTero intra-oral scanners to its clear aligners across the European Economic Area.
The probe, prompted by a competitor’s complaint, will assess whether the practice breaks EU competition rules.
The mechanics of the allegation are straightforward, even if the dentistry is not. Align makes two things that matter here: the iTero scanner, a device that produces a digital 3D model of a patient’s mouth, and Invisalign, the transparent aligners that have become the dominant brand in clear orthodontics.
The Commission’s concern is that Align may be arranging its products so that using the scanner steers practitioners toward Invisalign, and away from rival aligner makers, in ways that foreclose competition.The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
