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How do oral rehabilitation specialists clean retainers so well, and can you do it at home too?
If you sleep with a night guard, you probably know the drill โ you clean, rinse, scrub, and yet there's still a smell, an aftertaste, and the feeling that it's not truly clean. But at the dentist's office, everything looks brand new and spotless.
What's their secret? We decided to find out.
We spoke to dentists - and they revealed the secret
Our team approached several dentists and asked the question we all wonder: How do you clean dental appliances so well? The answer we received was almost identical from everyone (but we stylized it a bit): "It's not magic - it's technology."
They explained that they have been using ultrasonic cleaning devices for years โ a technology that uses high-frequency sound waves to create microscopic bubbles in water, which burst on the retainer and remove plaque, calculus, and odors even from places a toothbrush could never reachยนยฒยณ.
"It's the exact same technology used to clean medical equipment and delicate dental tools," explains one expert, "it's very gentle, but cleans thoroughly in a way that cannot be achieved manually."โด
Until recently - only at the dentist's office
These devices were until recently only available in clinics: large, expensive, and intended for professional use only. But in the last year, this technology has finally become available for home useโต โ opening a whole new door for people who haven't had their retainer cleaned in a while.
VeraWave Pro - the same professional cleaning, right in your home
We conducted an experiment. We asked the experts for a recommendation for a home ultrasonic device, and they directed us to Numa Dental, which markets the VeraWave Pro, based on the Ultrasonic BioLiftยฎ system. It effectively adjusts the cleaning intensity for the retainer โ and successfully removes bacteria, odors, and calculus using only water.
Fill the small tank with water, place the retainer, press a button - and the retainer becomes clean, just like at the dentist's. We tried it too, and after a week or two, we started to see a difference.
What do the experts say?
Ultrasonic cleaning is a safe and effective solution for night guards, whether hard or soft, and they are happy that there is now a home solution โ they even recommend it to their patients. It does not scratch, does not damage transparency, and prevents the accumulation of bacteria that can harm teeth and gumsยณโต.
Most people clean their retainers with soap, water, or tablets, but according to studiesโต โ this is not enough to remove biofilm and bacteria long-term. Using ultrasonic cleaning significantly reduces the formation of odors and stains and protects the enamel.
Team Conclusions
The price is a bit high, but considering the results, the effectiveness compared to other devices, and the long-term investment โ it's a fair price.
Update
Following the publication of the article, the editorial team received inquiries from people who purchased imitations of the device that do not meet the required standards. Using these devices may cause damage to the retainer and deformation due to uncontrolled cleaning intensities. These devices are not related to Numa Dental or the original VeraWave Proโข product.
[1] Chan R, et al. *A randomized trial of the effectiveness of an ultrasonic denture hygiene intervention*. [PMC10387143](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10387143)ย
[2] Lim T.W., et al. *Efficacy of ultrasonic home-care denture cleaning versus conventional.* [ScienceDirect](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300571224003841)ย
[3] Ghazal A.R.A., et al. *Efficacy of removing Candida albicans from orthodontic acrylic.* [BMC Oral Health](https://bmcoralhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12903-019-0765-x)ย
[4] ล imunoviฤ L, et al. *The Influence of Different Cleaning Protocols on the Surface Roughness of Orthodontic Retainers.* [MDPI](https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1319)ย
[5] Khawwam S.I., et al. *Effect of Different Cleaning Regimes on Biofilm Formation on Removable Orthodontic Appliances.* [Wiley Online Library](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2023/9920850)
[2] Lim T.W., et al. *Efficacy of ultrasonic home-care denture cleaning versus conventional.* [ScienceDirect](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300571224003841)ย
[3] Ghazal A.R.A., et al. *Efficacy of removing Candida albicans from orthodontic acrylic.* [BMC Oral Health](https://bmcoralhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12903-019-0765-x)ย
[4] ล imunoviฤ L, et al. *The Influence of Different Cleaning Protocols on the Surface Roughness of Orthodontic Retainers.* [MDPI](https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1319)ย
[5] Khawwam S.I., et al. *Effect of Different Cleaning Regimes on Biofilm Formation on Removable Orthodontic Appliances.* [Wiley Online Library](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2023/9920850)