Litigation Settlements	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Litigation Settlements [Abstract]
Litigation Settlements	Litigation Settlements Ormco On August 16, 2009, we entered into three agreements with Ormco Corporation (“Ormco”), an affiliate of Danaher Corporation (“Danaher”): a Settlement Agreement, a Stock Purchase Agreement, and a Joint Development, Marketing and Sales agreement (“Collaboration Agreement”). The Settlement Agreement ended all pending litigations between the parties, and we agreed to (1) make a cash payment of $13.2 million upon the execution of the agreement and (2) issue a total of 7.6 million non-assessable shares of common stock pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement. The settlement value was allocated between past infringement and future use of the patent based on total case shipments during the period of infringement. We attributed $69.7 million to past infringement claims, based on case shipments from September 9, 2003 through August 16, 2009. This was recorded as litigation settlement costs and included in our operating expenses. Additional royalty costs based on case shipments between August 17, 2009 through January 19, 2010 totaling $7.0 million were recorded as prepaid royalties as of the settlement date. We amortized $6.2 million of the prepaid royalties to cost of sales for the year ended December 31, 2009 and the remaining $0.8 million was amortized during first quarter of 2010. There was no litigation settlement during 2012 or 2011. OrthoClear Insurance Settlement In June 2010, we received an $8.7 million insurance settlement under our general liability umbrella that was not previously reimbursed by our insurer related to the OrthoClear litigation. This insurance settlement was included in our 2010 operating expenses. There was no insurance settlement during 2012 or 2011. Leiszler On May 10, 2010, Christopher J. Leiszler filed a complaint against us in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint alleged that we implemented unfair and fraudulent requirements for the prescription of Invisalign through the Invisalign Proficiency Requirements for minimum case submission and continuing education credits requirements. In January 2010 Dr. Leiszler’s Invisalign provider status was suspended for failing to meet the Proficiency Requirements. Dr. Leiszler sued on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated. The complaint sought a refund of the price paid to us for Invisalign training. On October 19, 2010, we entered into a memorandum of understanding to resolve this litigation, and on November 30, 2010, we executed a formal Stipulation of Settlement. On December 23, 2010, the Court granted preliminary approval of the proposed settlement and on April 8, 2011, granted final approval of the settlement. The settlement took effect on May 18, 2011. Under the terms of the settlement, class members who did not elect to receive the cash remedy prior to the Court-ordered deadline will be reinstated to prescribe Invisalign treatment after the effective date under certain circumstances. In January 2011, we deposited approximately $8.0 million into an escrow account to pay eligible class members who elected the cash remedy, as well as legal fees and other costs. We recorded a total litigation settlement charge of $4.5 million during the third and fourth quarter of 2010 for this settlement. In early June 2011, payments were made from the escrow account to class members who elected the cash remedy and the remaining balance of the escrow has been refunded to Align, except for a nominal amount which has been retained for administrative purposes. As of December 31, 2012, we have no further liability related to this matter.

Litigation Settlements

Ormco

On August 16, 2009, we entered into three agreements with Ormco Corporation (“Ormco”), an affiliate of Danaher Corporation (“Danaher”): a Settlement Agreement, a Stock Purchase Agreement, and a Joint Development, Marketing and Sales agreement (“Collaboration Agreement”). The Settlement Agreement ended all pending litigations between the parties, and we agreed to (1) make a cash payment of $13.2 million upon the execution of the agreement and (2) issue a total of 7.6 million non-assessable shares of common stock pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement. The settlement value was allocated between past infringement and future use of the patent based on total case shipments during the period of infringement. We attributed $69.7 million to past infringement claims, based on case shipments from September 9, 2003 through August 16, 2009. This was recorded as litigation settlement costs and included in our operating expenses. Additional royalty costs based on case shipments between August 17, 2009 through January 19, 2010 totaling $7.0 million were recorded as prepaid royalties as of the settlement date. We amortized $6.2 million of the prepaid royalties to cost of sales for the year ended December 31, 2009 and the remaining $0.8 million was amortized during first quarter of 2010. There was no litigation settlement during 2012 or 2011.

OrthoClear Insurance Settlement

In June 2010, we received an $8.7 million insurance settlement under our general liability umbrella that was not previously reimbursed by our insurer related to the OrthoClear litigation. This insurance settlement was included in our 2010 operating expenses. There was no insurance settlement during 2012 or 2011.

Leiszler

On May 10, 2010, Christopher J. Leiszler filed a complaint against us in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint alleged that we implemented unfair and fraudulent requirements for the prescription of Invisalign through the Invisalign Proficiency Requirements for minimum case submission and continuing education credits requirements. In January 2010 Dr. Leiszler’s Invisalign provider status was suspended for failing to meet the Proficiency Requirements. Dr. Leiszler sued on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated. The complaint sought a refund of the price paid to us for Invisalign training. On October 19, 2010, we entered into a memorandum of understanding to resolve this litigation, and on November 30, 2010, we executed a formal Stipulation of Settlement. On December 23, 2010, the Court granted preliminary approval of the proposed settlement and on April 8, 2011, granted final approval of the settlement. The settlement took effect on May 18, 2011. Under the terms of the settlement, class members who did not elect to receive the cash remedy prior to the Court-ordered deadline will be reinstated to prescribe Invisalign treatment after the effective date under certain circumstances. In January 2011, we deposited approximately $8.0 million into an escrow account to pay eligible class members who elected the cash remedy, as well as legal fees and other costs. We recorded a total litigation settlement charge of $4.5 million during the third and fourth quarter of 2010 for this settlement. In early June 2011, payments were made from the escrow account to class members who elected the cash remedy and the remaining balance of the escrow has been refunded to Align, except for a nominal amount which has been retained for administrative purposes. As of December 31, 2012, we have no further liability related to this matter.