# 2026-11370: Clear Aligner Patent Fight Quietly Expands Scope

2026-11370, Certain Clear Aligners and Components Thereof; Notice of a Commission Determination Not To Review an Initial Determination Granting In Part a Motion To Amend the Complaint and Notice of Investigation, is a Federal Register notice from International Trade Commission published 2026-06-08, effective 2026-06-03; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-15).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11370
- As of: 2026-06-15
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-11370
- Title: Certain Clear Aligners and Components Thereof; Notice of a Commission Determination Not To Review an Initial Determination Granting In Part a Motion To Amend the Complaint and Notice of Investigation
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: International Trade Commission
- Citation: 91 FR 34651
- Published: 2026-06-08
- Effective: 2026-06-03
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-15

## In one line

Clear Aligner Patent Fight Quietly Expands Scope

## Summary

The U.S. International Trade Commission decided to allow new claims in a patent dispute about clear aligners, like those used for teeth straightening. This affects companies involved in making or selling these aligners in the U.S., as more patent rights are now part of the investigation. The case started in late 2025, and this update means the investigation just got bigger, possibly impacting future sales and legal costs.

## Abstract

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined not to review the presiding chief administrative law judge's ("CALJ") initial determination ("ID") (Order No. 11) granting a motion to amend the complaint and notice of investigation ("NOI") to (1) add allegations of infringement of claim 24 for U.S. Patent No. 11,766,313 ("the `313 patent"); (2) add allegations of infringement of claim 28 for U.S. Patent No. 11,766,314 ("the `314 patent"); (3) add allegations of infringement of claims 2 and 14 for U.S. Patent No. 8,866,977 ("the `977 patent"); and (4) add allegations of infringement of claim 9 for U.S. Patent No. 10,980,616 ("the `616 patent").

## Effects PRIA read

- Investigation Expanded to New Patent Claims: cost, medium. The U.S. International Trade Commission allowed Align Technology to amend its complaint in Investigation No. 337-TA-1471 to add allegations of infringement for: claim 24 of U.S. Patent No. 11,766,313; claim 28 of U.S. Patent No. 11,766,314; claims 2 and 14 of U.S. Patent No. 8,866,977; and claim 9…
- Respondents May Seek Time To Address New Claims: benefit, low. The Commission noted that nothing prevents the named respondents from petitioning the presiding administrative law judge to extend deadlines to accommodate the newly added dependent claims. The ID also noted respondents had notice to explore defenses before the close of fact discovery on May 7, 202…

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## Sources
- [2026-11370 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/08/2026-11370/certain-clear-aligners-and-components-thereof-notice-of-a-commission-determination-not-to-review-an)
- [2026-11370 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-08/pdf/2026-11370.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-11369, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health; Notice of Meeting](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11369)
- [Next: 2026-11371, Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp From Thailand: Amended Final Results of Antidum…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11371)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11370 (as of 2026-06-15).