Hawley vs. Clear Retainers: How to Clean Each One

There are two common kinds of removable retainer. A Hawley retainer has a hard acrylic plate that sits against the roof of your mouth and a metal wire across the front of the teeth. A clear retainer is a thin plastic tray that fits over the teeth. They are cleaned in similar ways, but each has its own trouble spots.

Cleaning a Hawley retainer

Buildup collects where the wire meets the acrylic and in the textured surface of the plate. Rinse after every wear and brush gently with a soft brush, paying attention to the wire joints. Avoid toothpaste, which scratches the acrylic. A few times a week, soak the retainer with one of our retainer cleaner tablets or run it through an ultrasonic retainer cleaner. Ultrasonic cleaning is especially useful for Hawley retainers because it cleans around the wire where a brush does not reach.

Never use hot water or bleach. Heat can warp the acrylic and bleach can corrode the wire.

Cleaning a clear retainer

Clear retainers scratch and cloud easily, so gentleness matters most. Rinse after every wear and brush with a soft brush and water or mild soap. Deep clean with a tablet soak or an ultrasonic cycle a few times a week. The deep clean matters more for clear retainers than for Hawley retainers, because film inside a clear tray is pressed against your teeth for hours.

Keep clear retainers away from heat and never drink anything but water while wearing them.

What they have in common

• Rinse right after wearing.
• Brush gently, no toothpaste.
• Deep clean a few times a week.
• Dry before storing, and keep the case clean.

This article is general care information and is not medical advice. Follow the instructions from your dentist, orthodontist or the maker of your appliance.