How Bold Bite Orthodontics Builds Appliances
Orthodontic appliances are the physical tools that move teeth, guide jaw growth, correct bite problems, and hold the final result once braces come off. Some are fixed to the teeth for the duration of treatment. Some are removable and worn a specific number of hours each day. Some work silently overnight while a child is growing. All of them work better when they are designed from that patient’s anatomy rather than pulled off a standard-size shelf.
At Bold Bite Orthodontics in Jacksonville, every new-patient consultation starts with a Vatech Green CT scan, an iTero digital scan of the teeth, and a clinical exam shared by Dr. Trang Cao and Dr. Martin Greenberg. That workup — not a one-size protocol — determines whether a case needs expansion, growth modification, airway intervention, TAD anchorage, or a retention-only approach. Retainers, custom bands, and many working models are 3D-printed in-office; larger appliances like MARA, Herbst, and MARPE are designed from the same digital scan and fabricated by specialty labs on the practice’s specifications.
The practice intentionally keeps the appliance menu broad. A child with a narrow palate, an adult with nighttime snoring, a teen with a Class II overbite, and a patient finishing braces all need different tools, and referring out every case that falls outside a single-appliance comfort zone is not the standard Dr. Cao and Dr. Greenberg trained for. Every appliance below has been used at Bold Bite in the last year — with pricing and sequencing explained in plain language before treatment begins.
Appliances Used at Bold Bite
Every appliance below is planned by Dr. Greenberg or Dr. Cao from the CBCT scan, digital impression, and clinical exam taken at the free consultation, not from a default protocol. Tap any card for a full breakdown of when the appliance is used, how long it stays in, and what it costs.
Retainers
Essix, Vivera, and fixed retainers scanned on the day braces come off. In-house 3D printing means replacement retainers turn around in days, not weeks.
Learn more →Palatal Expander
Custom-fit palatal expander planned from the CBCT scan when the upper arch is narrow. MARPE placement is coordinated in-office for older teens and adults who have outgrown conventional expansion.
Learn more →Herbst / MARA
Fixed bite-correctors for growing teens with a Class II overbite. Dr. Greenberg and Dr. Cao select between MARA and Herbst case by case based on the CBCT workup.
Learn more →Headgear / Facemask
Reverse-pull facemask or high-pull headgear for younger patients with skeletal imbalance. Usually paired with expansion and worn mostly at home.
Learn more →Functional Appliances
Removable and fixed appliances that guide jaw growth during the mixed-dentition years. Selected when the CBCT shows skeletal imbalance the bite cannot resolve on its own.
Learn more →Vertical Pull Chin Cup
Controls excess vertical jaw growth in children with long-face tendency or open-bite risk. Used selectively, alongside expansion and airway work.
Learn more →Snoring / MAD Appliance
Custom mandibular advancement device for adult snoring and mild-to-moderate sleep apnea, prescribed in coordination with a sleep medicine physician or ENT.
Learn more →Accelerated Treatment
Shorter treatment where the diagnosis supports it, high-frequency vibration or bone-remodeling protocols paired with weekly or biweekly aligner changes.
Learn more →TMJ Mouth Guard
Custom occlusal splint for bruxism, clenching, or jaw joint pain. Scanned and 3D-printed in-house for a precise occlusal fit.
Learn more →Why Bold Bite Orthodontics Appliances Are Different
Most orthodontic offices order appliances from a catalog in standard sizes and adjust them to fit the patient chairside. Bold Bite Orthodontics designs each appliance from the individual patient’s 3D scan and CBCT and has it manufactured to clinical specifications. The difference shows up in comfort, fit, failure rate, and how quickly a plan moves.
3D-Scanned & Custom-Designed
Every appliance starts with an iTero or Allied Star digital scan and a Vatech Green CT — no goopy impressions, no stock sizes. Each device is manufactured from the patient’s individual tooth and jaw geometry.
Retainers Made In-House
Dental models are printed on-site and retainers thermoformed in the same visit window. Replacement retainers through the Bold Bite Retainer Club ship without the expensive national-chain membership fees.
Auto-Expanding Options
For the right case, Bold Bite uses self-activating auto-expanding appliances instead of the traditional parent-key Hyrax — slow continuous force, fewer chair visits, less of the nightly family argument over turning the key.
MARPE for Older Teens & Adults
Mini-screw-assisted rapid palatal expansion is coordinated in-office when the CBCT shows the upper arch is still correctable non-surgically past the teen years. Surgical partners are activated only when the anatomy requires it.
Airway Screening Built In
AI-assisted airway analysis runs on every new-patient CBCT. When snoring, mouth breathing, or constriction shows up on the scan, Bold Bite coordinates with ENT and sleep medicine instead of ignoring it. Mandibular advancement devices are prescribed in that coordinated plan, not as a standalone product.
Transparent Appliance Pricing
Retainers, expanders, MARA/Herbst add-ons, and MAD fees are quoted before treatment starts. In-house 0% APR financing from $200/mo spreads larger appliance fees across the plan — no surprise front-desk add-ons.
Appliance Pricing at a Glance
Representative fees for the appliances most often used at Bold Bite Orthodontics. Every plan is quoted in writing at the consultation and covered by in-house 0% APR financing from $200/month.
| Appliance | Typical fee | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Essix retainer (per arch) | $250 | Standard clear retainer scanned the day braces come off. Replacements stay in the Retainer Club. |
| Retainer replacement (with model on file) | $200 / $300 without | Reorder after loss or breakage. Same-week turnaround from the in-house printer. |
| Palatal expander (Phase 1) | $2,500–$3,000 | Narrow upper arch in a growing child or teen. Includes fitting, activation, and removal visits. |
| MARPE (mini-screw expansion) | Quoted at consult | Older teens and adults who would otherwise need SARPE surgery. Coordinated in-office with a periodontal partner for screw placement. |
| MARA or Herbst (Class II corrector) | Included with braces fee | Fixed bite-corrector for growing teens with overbite driven by jaw position. |
| Headgear / reverse-pull facemask | Included with treatment | Class III cases in young children; 14 hours/day minimum wear. |
| Vertical pull chin cup | Included with treatment | Selective use for vertical growth control in long-face or open-bite risk cases. |
| Snoring / MAD appliance | $1,500 | Adult mild-to-moderate sleep apnea or snoring, prescribed with a sleep physician or ENT. |
| TMJ mouth guard | Custom-fit | Bruxism, clenching, or jaw-joint pain. 3D-printed occlusal splint. |
All fees quoted in writing at the free consultation. Military, teacher, healthcare, family, and student discounts stack one at a time — the patient receives whichever single discount is highest.
What Families Say
“Dr. Cao and Dr. Greenberg took the time to explain every appliance my son needed and exactly why — expander first, then braces. We never felt rushed or upsold.”
“The office feels like they actually built it for kids. My daughter got her expander and it was printed in-house the same week. No waiting on a lab.”
“I came in for Invisalign and ended up learning I had a narrow airway I had never been screened for. The MAD they made for me has fixed my snoring.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Who picks which appliance my case needs?
Dr. Trang Cao and Dr. Martin Greenberg both review the CBCT, iTero scan, and clinical exam from the consultation and jointly decide which appliances, if any, a case requires. They are a married orthodontic team and see every patient at every appointment — there is no rotating associate model at Bold Bite Orthodontics. If the diagnosis does not require a particular appliance, it is not proposed.
Are appliances included in the treatment fee, or are they extra?
Most appliances used inside a comprehensive braces or aligner plan — headgear, facemask, functional appliances, chin cup, MARA, Herbst — are included in the stated treatment fee. Phase 1 expanders (typically $2,500 to $3,000) are quoted separately because Phase 1 treatment is its own stage. Retainers, MAD airway appliances, and TMJ mouth guards are quoted individually. Every fee is written into the financial agreement before treatment begins, with no surprise add-ons at the front desk.
Does Bold Bite make retainers in-house?
Yes. Retainers are scanned on the day the braces come off, printed on-site, and delivered the same visit window. Replacement retainers go through the Bold Bite Retainer Club — $200 each with the patient’s scan on file, $300 if a new scan is needed — and there is no expensive national-chain membership fee attached.
What is an auto-expanding appliance?
An auto-expanding palatal expander uses a built-in spring mechanism to apply slow continuous force instead of the daily parent key-turn on a traditional Hyrax. For the right growing child, it reduces the nightly household friction around compliance, requires fewer adjustment visits, and delivers steady physiologic expansion. It is one option among several — the CBCT and arch width dictate which expander mechanism is chosen.
Do you place TADs (mini implants) in-office?
For anchorage TADs used in complex tooth-movement cases, Bold Bite refers placement to Dr. Doug Stortch at Modern Perio so the implant is placed by a periodontist in a dedicated surgical setting. MARPE mini-screws for palatal expansion are coordinated in-office when that approach is indicated. Either way, the orthodontic plan stays at Bold Bite.
What if my child already has an appliance from another orthodontist?
Bold Bite offers second-opinion consultations but does not currently accept transfer-in mid-treatment cases. Bring the current appliance, any records from the prior office, and the last set of x-rays if available — the consultation is free and kids under 18 remain so regardless of whether they ultimately continue at Bold Bite. Dr. Cao and Dr. Greenberg review what is working, what is not, and whether the child would be better served continuing with the original orthodontist or seeking a different practice for the remainder of treatment.