The Ultimate Guide to Clear Retainers

Braces are oral appliances that are usually worn after braces are removed to help maintain the alignment of your teeth. Keeping your Clear Retainers is important to promoting good oral health.

3 Different types of dental retainers –

If you are wondering about how to clean retainers it is best to learn about them beforehand. Following are the three types of retainers – 

1. Clear Retainer:

A clear retainer is essentially made of plastic. This is the most common type, being worn at night, once you take out your braces. Such retainers are easy to wear because they are clear and light. 

2. Hawley Retainer:

Hawley Retainers are more bulky and less discreet. It is made with thick transparent plastic with a metal wire in front of one’s teeth. Hawley Retainers are rarely used nowadays because they are usually discarded. 

3. Fixed Wire Retainer:

Permanent or Bonded retainers are frequently used as a backup with the clear retainers. On their own, they are not counted as a reliable method. 

What Are the Benefits of Wearing Clear Retainers?

If you are wondering about the benefits of a clear retainer, go through the following section –

1. By wearing a retainer, you can preserve your teeth in their desired alignment. 
2. Clear retainers are also less visible than old-fashioned metal wires and brackets. It makes them ideal for daily usage.
3. A clear retainer is very comfortable and easy to use. 
4. Such dental products are made of a soft acrylic material that is aimed to fit your mouth with ease. 
5. A clear retainer will not irritate your gums. It will conform to the shape of your teeth to offer a relaxed fit. 
6. Such retainers are easy to clean. So, you do not need to worry about how to clean a dental aligner.
7. A clear dental aligner can be used as a beneficial way to correct small issues with one’s bite.

Clear Retainers: How to clean retainer effectively?

As each retainer is different, it is best to learn about their cleaning procedure. A clear retainer is mostly used by people. How to clean a retainer? Hence, the following are some of the tips to keep your retainer clean – 

1. Clean It Regularly: 

It is essential to keep your retainers clean daily. It will help to get rid of plaque and bacteria. Such properties can build up on it over a period. One should use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a nonabrasive cleanser. 

Dish soaps with mild to no harshness or denture cleaner can be useful for this purpose. Further, it is best to brush the retainer gently but thoroughly. Lastly, rinse it properly with warm water afterward.

2. Store It Safely: 

One should keep their clear retainers stored safely. It will help to keep it safe from dirt and damage. If you misplace the case, change it so you can keep your retainer protected when not using it. 

3. Take Breaks from Wearing: 

It is wise to wear a clear retainer as advised by orthodontists. It will keep your teeth properly aligned. However, one must also take short breaks from using it every once in a while, to avert injuries like jaw pain and soreness.

How to clean Invisalign retainers?

Keeping Invisalign retainers is easy, and takes minimal time. To properly clean an Invisalign aligner, you need to implement the following steps – 

1. Rinse the Invisalign dental aligners with lukewarm water.
2. With a soft-bristled retainer brush, using minor, circular motions, gradually brush the entire device.
3. Once the device is completely brushed it is best to rinse it again under lukewarm water.
4. Carefully inspect the device for any calcium build-up. Invisalign aligners are susceptible to calcium buildup. It will appear as a cloudy, white line on the device that is difficult to remove with a toothbrush.
5. Once you have completed cleaning your Invisalign retainer, you can put it back into your mouth or in the box to dry.
6. The use of Hydrogen Peroxide can also help clean such retainers. You just need to use equal parts of the components, and the solution will offer you a spotless plastic retainer.

How to clean plastic retainers?

If you use plastic retainers, you should know how to keep them clean. Following are a few steps to clean plastic retainers – 

1. First, remove your plastic device and rinse it off with water. 
2. Next, create a mixture using warm water and mild soap. Later, carefully soak the device and wash it with your hands. 
3. If you do not want to use a cleanser to clean a retainer, you can use water and a soft-bristled brush. Firstly, you should wet the bristles and run them through the tool to eliminate any plaque.
4. Dental cleaning is another effective way of cleaning a dental device. It is a kind of fizzy tablet that is used regularly to clean mouth guards, retainers, and dentures.
5. Vinegar is an antiseptic and can be used to clean one’s dental retainer. One of the best ways to clean a retainer is to mix equal parts water and vinegar in a cup and soak the retainer in the mixture for about thirty minutes. Later, wash off the plastic retainer with water and give it time to air dry.

Conclusion

One of the most used dental aligners is clear retainers. The design of this device is soft, which makes it easy to use regularly. Further, as it is lightweight, it does not harm one’s mouth. However, to maintain the longevity of such retainers, it is best to keep them clean. 

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