Legal Proceedings	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Legal Proceedings	Legal Proceedings Securities Class Action Lawsuit On November 5, 2018, a class action lawsuit against Align, and three of our executive officers, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of a purported class of purchasers of our common stock between July 25, 2018 and October 24, 2018. The complaint generally alleges claims under the federal securities laws and seeks monetary damages in an unspecified amount and costs and expenses incurred in the litigation. On December 12, 2018, a similar lawsuit was filed in the same court on behalf of a purported class of purchasers of our common stock between April 25, 2018 and October 24, 2018 (together with the first lawsuit, the “Securities Actions”). Motions for appointment as lead plaintiff were filed on January 4, 2019. Align believes the plaintiffs’ claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself. Align is currently unable to predict the outcome of these lawsuits and therefore cannot determine the likelihood of loss nor estimate a range of possible loss. Shareholder Derivative Lawsuit In January 2019, three derivative lawsuits were also filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, purportedly on behalf of Align, naming as defendants the members of our Board of Directors along with certain of our executive officers. The allegations in the complaints are similar to those presented in the Securities Action, but the complaints assert various state law causes of action, including for breaches of fiduciary duty, insider trading, and unjust enrichment, among others. The complaints seek unspecified monetary damages on behalf of Align, which is named solely as a nominal defendant against whom no recovery is sought, as well as disgorgement and the costs and expenses associated with the litigation, including attorneys’ fees. Align is currently unable to predict the outcome of these lawsuits and therefore cannot determine the likelihood of loss nor estimate a range of possible loss. Patent Infringement and Related Lawsuits On November 14, 2017, Align filed six patent infringement lawsuits asserting 26 patents against 3Shape, a Danish corporation, and a related U.S. corporate entity, asserting that 3Shape’s Trios intraoral scanning system and Dental System software infringe Align patents. Align filed two Section 337 complaints with the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) alleging that 3Shape violates U.S. trade laws by selling for importation and importing its infringing Trios intraoral scanning system and Dental System software. Align’s ITC complaints seek cease and desist orders and exclusion orders prohibiting the importation of 3Shape’s Trios scanning system and Dental System software products into the U.S. Align also filed four separate complaints in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement by 3Shape’s Trios intraoral scanning system and Dental System software. On May 9, 2018, 3Shape filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement by Align’s iTero Element scanner of a single 3Shape patent. On June 14, 2018, 3Shape filed another complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement by Align’s iTero Element scanner of a single 3Shape patent. On August 28, 2018, 3Shape filed a complaint against Align in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging antitrust violations and seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief relating to Align’s market activities, including Align’s assertion of its patent portfolio, in the clear aligner and intraoral scanning markets. On December 10, 2018, Align filed three additional patent infringement lawsuits asserting 10 additional patents against 3Shape. Align filed one Section 337 complaint with the ITC alleging that 3Shape violates U.S. trade laws through unfair competition by selling for importation and importing the infringing TRIOS intraoral scanning system, Trios Lab Scanners and TRIOS software, TRIOS Module software, Dental System software, and Ortho System Software. On December 11, 2018, Align filed two separate complaints in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement by 3Shape's Trios intraoral scanning system, Lab Scanners and Dental and Ortho System Software. Except for 3Shape’s antitrust complaint, each of the District Court complaints seek monetary damages and injunctive relief against further infringement. We are currently unable to predict the outcome of this dispute and therefore cannot determine the likelihood of loss, if any, nor estimate a range of possible loss. SDC Dispute In February 2018, we received a communication on behalf of SDC Financial LLC, SmileDirectClub LLC, and the Members of SDC Financial LLC other than the Company (collectively, the SDC Entities) alleging that the launch and operation of the Invisalign locations pilot program constitutes a breach of non-compete provisions applicable to the members of SDC Financial LLC, including Align. As a result of this alleged breach, SDC Financial LLC notified us that its members (other than Align) seek to exercise a right to repurchase all of Align's SDC Financial LLC membership interests for a purchase price equal to the current capital account balance. The SDC Entities’ communication also alleged that we breached confidentiality provisions applicable to the SDC Financial LLC members and demanded that we cease all activities related to the Invisalign locations pilot project, close existing Invisalign locations and cease using SDC’s confidential information. In April 2018, the SDC Entities served a Demand for Arbitration alleging that we breached the non-compete clause and confidentiality clause, misused the SDC Entities’ alleged trade secrets, and violated fiduciary duties to SDC Financial LLC. The SDC Entities seek through the arbitration the rights to repurchase all of Align’s SDC Financial LLC membership interests for a purchase price equal to the current capital account balance as defined by the Internal Revenue Service which likely is significantly below the current fair market value of such investment, an injunction requiring us to close our Invisalign locations and to cease using the SDC Entities’ confidential information, and financial damages in an unspecified amount. We filed a response in which we denied the SDC Entities’ allegations and denied that the SDC Entities are entitled to any relief. In April 2018 the SDC Entities also filed a motion for preliminary injunction in the Tennessee Court of Chancery seeking to enjoin Align from opening additional Invisalign locations until the arbitration is completed. In June 2018, the Tennessee court denied the SDC Entities’ motion for a preliminary injunction. In December 2018, the parties participated in binding arbitration proceedings and presented closing arguments on January 23, 2019. The arbitrator’s decision is due on or before March 4, 2019. This dispute does not impact Align’s existing supply agreement with SDC which remains in place through 2019. We do not intend to renew this agreement. We are currently unable to predict the outcome of this dispute and therefore cannot determine the likelihood of loss, if any, nor estimate a range of possible loss. In addition, in the course of Align’s operations, Align is involved in a variety of claims, suits, investigations, and proceedings, including actions with respect to intellectual property claims, patent infringement claims, government investigations, labor and employment claims, breach of contract claims, tax, and other matters. Regardless of the outcome, these proceedings can have an adverse impact on us because of defense costs, diversion of management resources, and other factors. Although the results of complex legal proceedings are difficult to predict and Align’s view of these matters may change in the future as litigation and events related thereto unfold; Align currently does not believe that these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will materially affect Align’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Legal Proceedings

Securities Class Action Lawsuit

On November 5, 2018, a class action lawsuit against Align, and three of our executive officers, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of a purported class of purchasers of our common stock between July 25, 2018 and October 24, 2018. The complaint generally alleges claims under the federal securities laws and seeks monetary damages in an unspecified amount and costs and expenses incurred in the litigation. On December 12, 2018, a similar lawsuit was filed in the same court on behalf of a purported class of purchasers of our common stock between April 25, 2018 and October 24, 2018 (together with the first lawsuit, the “Securities Actions”). Motions for appointment as lead plaintiff were filed on January 4, 2019. Align believes the plaintiffs’ claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself. Align is currently unable to predict the outcome of these lawsuits and therefore cannot determine the likelihood of loss nor estimate a range of possible loss.

Shareholder Derivative Lawsuit

In January 2019, three derivative lawsuits were also filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, purportedly on behalf of Align, naming as defendants the members of our Board of Directors along with certain of our executive officers. The allegations in the complaints are similar to those presented in the Securities Action, but the complaints assert various state law causes of action, including for breaches of fiduciary duty, insider trading, and unjust enrichment, among others. The complaints seek unspecified monetary damages on behalf of Align, which is named solely as a nominal defendant against whom no recovery is sought, as well as disgorgement and the costs and expenses associated with the litigation, including attorneys’ fees. Align is currently unable to predict the outcome of these lawsuits and therefore cannot determine the likelihood of loss nor estimate a range of possible loss.

Patent Infringement and Related Lawsuits

On November 14, 2017, Align filed six patent infringement lawsuits asserting 26 patents against 3Shape, a Danish corporation, and a related U.S. corporate entity, asserting that 3Shape’s Trios intraoral scanning system and Dental System software infringe Align patents. Align filed two Section 337 complaints with the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) alleging that 3Shape violates U.S. trade laws by selling for importation and importing its infringing Trios intraoral scanning system and Dental System software. Align’s ITC complaints seek cease and desist orders and exclusion orders prohibiting the importation of 3Shape’s Trios scanning system and Dental System software products into the U.S. Align also filed four separate complaints in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement by 3Shape’s Trios intraoral scanning system and Dental System software.

On May 9, 2018, 3Shape filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement by Align’s iTero Element scanner of a single 3Shape patent. On June 14, 2018, 3Shape filed another complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement by Align’s iTero Element scanner of a single 3Shape patent.

On August 28, 2018, 3Shape filed a complaint against Align in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging antitrust violations and seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief relating to Align’s market activities, including Align’s assertion of its patent portfolio, in the clear aligner and intraoral scanning markets.

On December 10, 2018, Align filed three additional patent infringement lawsuits asserting 10 additional patents against 3Shape. Align filed one Section 337 complaint with the ITC alleging that 3Shape violates U.S. trade laws through unfair competition by selling for importation and importing the infringing TRIOS intraoral scanning system, Trios Lab Scanners and TRIOS software, TRIOS Module software, Dental System software, and Ortho System Software. On December 11, 2018, Align filed two separate complaints in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement by 3Shape's Trios intraoral scanning system, Lab Scanners and Dental and Ortho System Software.

Except for 3Shape’s antitrust complaint, each of the District Court complaints seek monetary damages and injunctive relief against further infringement. We are currently unable to predict the outcome of this dispute and therefore cannot determine the likelihood of loss, if any, nor estimate a range of possible loss.

SDC Dispute

In February 2018, we received a communication on behalf of SDC Financial LLC, SmileDirectClub LLC, and the Members of SDC Financial LLC other than the Company (collectively, the SDC Entities) alleging that the launch and operation of the Invisalign locations pilot program constitutes a breach of non-compete provisions applicable to the members of SDC Financial LLC, including Align. As a result of this alleged breach, SDC Financial LLC notified us that its members (other than Align) seek to exercise a right to repurchase all of Align's SDC Financial LLC membership interests for a purchase price equal to the current capital account balance. The SDC Entities’ communication also alleged that we breached confidentiality provisions applicable to the SDC Financial LLC members and demanded that we cease all activities related to the Invisalign locations pilot project, close existing Invisalign locations and cease using SDC’s confidential information. In April 2018, the SDC Entities served a Demand for Arbitration alleging that we breached the non-compete clause and confidentiality clause, misused the SDC Entities’ alleged trade secrets, and violated fiduciary duties to SDC Financial LLC. The SDC Entities seek through the arbitration the rights to repurchase all of Align’s SDC Financial LLC membership interests for a purchase price equal to the current capital account balance as defined by the Internal Revenue Service which likely is significantly below the current fair market value of such investment, an injunction requiring us to close our Invisalign locations and to cease using the SDC Entities’ confidential information, and financial damages in an unspecified amount. We filed a response in which we denied the SDC Entities’ allegations and denied that the SDC Entities are entitled to any relief. In April 2018 the SDC Entities also filed a motion for preliminary injunction in the Tennessee Court of Chancery seeking to enjoin Align from opening additional Invisalign locations until the arbitration is completed. In June 2018, the Tennessee court denied the SDC Entities’ motion for a preliminary injunction. In December 2018, the parties participated in binding arbitration proceedings and presented closing arguments on January 23, 2019. The arbitrator’s decision is due on or before March 4, 2019. This dispute does not impact Align’s existing supply agreement with SDC which remains in place through 2019. We do not intend to renew this agreement. We are currently unable to predict the outcome of this dispute and therefore cannot determine the likelihood of loss, if any, nor estimate a range of possible loss.

In addition, in the course of Align’s operations, Align is involved in a variety of claims, suits, investigations, and proceedings, including actions with respect to intellectual property claims, patent infringement claims, government investigations, labor and employment claims, breach of contract claims, tax, and other matters. Regardless of the outcome, these proceedings can have an adverse impact on us because of defense costs, diversion of management resources, and other factors. Although the results of complex legal proceedings are difficult to predict and Align’s view of these matters may change in the future as litigation and events related thereto unfold; Align currently does not believe that these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will materially affect Align’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.