The Sonic Cleaner Pro can clean all kinds of dental appliances, including night guards, retainers, sports guards, dentures, toothbrushes, and even non-dental items such as jewelry, razors, glasses, watches, and more. It's safe for any material that's non-porous and waterproof.

Yes. Same five-minute cycle, same plain water — cavitation doesn't care which appliance is in the tank. Night guards, retainers, aligners, dentures, and sports guards all clean the same way.

If you're curious, we looked at the research on retainers specifically.

Yes — both ultrasonic cavitation and UV-C disinfection are backed by extensive research in clinical and laboratory settings.

• Ultrasonic cleaning has been shown to remove biofilm and debris from microscopic crevices. A 2020 study demonstrated how high-frequency sound waves generate microscopic bubbles that collapse to dislodge contaminants even from hard-to-reach surfaces. Take a look at the full study here.
  
• UV-C sterilization is clinically proven to kill over 99% of bacteria and viruses without heat or chemicals. A 2023 peer-reviewed study confirmed UV-C effectively disinfects non-sterilizable oral appliances (read it here), and a 2021 study in Scientific Reports found UV-C inactivates over 99.9% of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, at even low doses (see the study).

Want the deeper dive? We wrote up the full research, including what an ultrasonic cleaner won't do: do ultrasonic retainer cleaners actually work?

Yes — plain water is all the machine needs. Cavitation is physics: the bubbles do the scrubbing, and they do it with nothing in the tank but water. A Fizzies tablet adds the chemistry: antimicrobial action and deodorizing the bubbles can't provide. Water gets you a genuine deep clean. Water plus a Fizzy gets you the full one.

Once a week is the recommended baseline for most people. The Sonic Cleaner Pro's weekly deep clean cycle covers deep biofilm removal and UV sterilization. If you're a heavy grinder, prone to calcium buildup, or notice your appliance developing an odor or discoloration faster than average, 2–3 times per week is appropriate. Daily use is also safe.

Ideally both, although either on its own is also an effective cleaner. They do different things and work well together for the most thorough clean. The Sonic Cleaner Pro physically removes debris and sterilizes via UV-C; cleaning tablets like The Fizzies provide enzymatic antimicrobial action and deodorizing that complements the physical clean. You can actually use them simultaneously: add a Fizzies tablet to the water in the Sonic Cleaner Pro's tank before running a cycle, and you get ultrasonic cavitation, enzyme cleaning, and UV-C sterilization in one five-minute cycle. That combination is as thorough as it gets for at-home night guard cleaning.

Yes, and the reason comes down to where bacteria actually live. A toothbrush and soaking can clean the visible surfaces of your night guard, but microscopic crevices in the material are most effectively reached with ultrasonic technology. The Sonic Cleaner Pro operates at 45,000Hz, generating millions of microscopic bubbles that implode on contact with your appliance, physically dislodging plaque, biofilm, and calcified deposits from areas no brush or soak can touch. For anyone with a custom night guard or retainer (which is a meaningful investment worth protecting), an ultrasonic cleaner is the most thorough at-home cleaning option available outside of a dental office.