Missed Quality Control = Missed Profits in the Business

A real example of missed QC

Owners, CFOs, and CEOs of aligner companies and dental labs — here’s where profits quietly leak. And while QC processes differ from company to company, scan errors can be just as costly for both aligner makers and dental labs.

A 3D plan was created on bad scans.

• The occlusion was clearly off
• The posterior molars on the lower arch were cut — half of the molars were missing in the scan, even though aligners must cover these teeth

Four months later, the doctor requested a refinement.‍

Reason: the occlusion was off.
That refinement included 24 steps (48 aligners).

The hidden cost

• 40 unused aligners from the original case
• 48 refinement aligners manufactured unnecessarily
  

Here’s the math:

• Each aligner costs $4–$15 (manufacturing + packaging + shipping)
• Average aligner case revenue: $900–$1,500
• Unnecessary refinement = ~$300 loss per case

The lesson

Quality control is not only a production function.

• Done right, it’s a profit generator
• Done wrong, it eats your margins
  
  

Want to see how our QC Agent automates this process and prevents losses like these?

Let’s schedule a short demo!