Legal Proceedings (Notes)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Legal Proceedings [Abstract]
Legal Proceedings	Legal Proceedings Patent Infringement Lawsuit On November 14, 2017, Align filed six patent infringement lawsuits asserting 26 patents against 3Shape A/S, 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 United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement by 3Shape’s Trios intraoral scanning system and Dental System software. All of these district court complaints seek monetary damages and injunctive relief against further infringement. SDC Dispute On April 5, 2018, SDC Financial LLC, SmileDirectClub LLC, and the Members of SDC Financial LLC other than Align (collectively, the "SDC Entities") initiated proceedings that seek, among other forms of relief, to preliminarily and permanently enjoin all activities related to the Invisalign store pilot project, require Align to close the existing Invisalign stores, prohibit Align from opening any additional stores, and allow the SDC Entities 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. On June 29, 2018, the Chancery Court for Davidson County, Tennessee, denied the SDC Entities’ request for a temporary injunction to prevent Align from opening additional Invisalign stores. Align continues to dispute the allegations that it has breached its obligations to the SDC Entities under applicable law and will oppose and vigorously defend itself at the arbitration proceedings currently scheduled for December 2018. This dispute does not impact Align’s existing supply agreement with SDC which remains in place through 2019 and includes a minimum volume commitment. 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

Patent Infringement Lawsuit

On November 14, 2017, Align filed six patent infringement lawsuits asserting 26 patents against 3Shape A/S, 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 United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement by 3Shape’s Trios intraoral scanning system and Dental System software. All of these district court complaints seek monetary damages and injunctive relief against further infringement.

SDC Dispute

On April 5, 2018, SDC Financial LLC, SmileDirectClub LLC, and the Members of SDC Financial LLC other than Align (collectively, the "SDC Entities") initiated proceedings that seek, among other forms of relief, to preliminarily and permanently enjoin all activities related to the Invisalign store pilot project, require Align to close the existing Invisalign stores, prohibit Align from opening any additional stores, and allow the SDC Entities 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. On June 29, 2018, the Chancery Court for Davidson County, Tennessee, denied the SDC Entities’ request for a temporary injunction to prevent Align from opening additional Invisalign stores. Align continues to dispute the allegations that it has breached its obligations to the SDC Entities under applicable law and will oppose and vigorously defend itself at the arbitration proceedings currently scheduled for December 2018. This dispute does not impact Align’s existing supply agreement with SDC which remains in place through 2019 and includes a minimum volume commitment. 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.