Increased competition and improved technology is radically changing the economics of providing orthodontic care with aligner therapy. Improved software and the advent of 3-D printing will allow in-office manufacturing of customized aligners in the near future. Leading-edge doctors can take advantage of this trend to gain a competitive advantage for increased profits and tax savings.

Shares in Align Technology (ALGN), maker of Invisalign, plummeted from $398.88 in September to only $186.71 at year-end, for a drop of over 53%, spurring a number of class-action lawsuits. The stock rout was triggered when the company announced that the average selling price for clear aligners dropped from $1,315 per case in the second quarter to $1,230 in the third quarter, causing revenue growth to decline. While the company blamed this price drop on a number of one-time factors, it’s clear that...