How to know if you have a soldered retainer?

[AmberJadeification]

I haven't gotten my retainer yet, but I was going to go ahead and buy the SonicBrite cleaner, but it says not to use it if you have a soldered Hawley retainer. What do they look like if they're soldered?

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

You can jsut ask your orthodontic office over the phone the assistants and stuff should know.

[Labguy]

A soldered retainer will have a place, or places, where two wires meet and they are attached together with what looks like --for lack of a better explanation-- a blob of metal. That's solder. Anything you soak a retainer in will wear away the solder. I just brush my retainer with toothpaste every time I brush my teeth and two years out it looks brand new.

[bbsadmin]

FYI, if you have a piece that is soldered on, it is often an "afterthought" that isn't 100% necessary for retention. You should ask your orthodontist.

[Labguy]

Sorry, bbsadmin, but I think your post is incorrect. Half of the retainers that I make in my lab are considered "soldered" retainers, where the bow is soldered to either c-clasps on the first bi-cuspids or to adams clasps on the first molars. They offer the orthodontists options if they are concerned with the patient biting on the wire in particular areas. There are also many, many other things that can be soldered onto the appliance for either retention purposes or to address a particular area of concern post-treatment. With the extra expense involved, and the inherent potential hassles, I highly doubt they are an afterthought. --not trying to be "snarky" here, just informative