With the (almost) impossible task of finding an NHS dentist these days, it’s never been more important to prioritize our dental care. There are many gadgets that can help us do this, from the best electric toothbrushes to the best water flossers. If you are a retainer or wear dentures, you could even try a dental appliance cleaner.
Started earlier this year, the Sonic Spa Pro is a device that is specially designed to clean all varieties of dental appliances, including aligners, retainers, dentures, mouth guards, toothbrush heads and more. With a limited number of competitors on the market, I was willing to give it a shot, especially as a hold-down user.
Sonic Spa Pro review: price and availability
The Sonic Spa Pro is available in Pearl White (a rather apt name) or Onyx Black, and there are two purchase packages to choose from. The Spa package costs £89.95 and includes the device itself and six cleansing tablets. The Spa Bundle Plus is £99.95 and includes 36 cleansing tablets.
At the time of writing, both packages are reduced by £20. Take a look:
Sonic Spa Pro review: unboxing and setup
The Sonic Spa Pro came in one piece, along with some instructions and a 20w plug. I received the Spa Bundle Plus so it also included 36 cleansing tablets. I soon realized that it was a very simple device to use and I liked its small size and shape.
Obviously it can’t be used in the bathroom because of the power cord, but it looked good on my dressing table when I was using it.
Sonic Spa Pro review: design and features
In terms of design, the device itself measures around 12cm by 10cm, so it’s perfectly compact. My retainers fit perfectly inside, but are also large enough for other dental devices such as dentures and toothbrush heads.
It has a high quality feel and I loved the matte white design. It’s not heavy, but it has a top weight that’s attractive.
The Sonic Spa Pro doesn’t have as many features, but it does have two cleaning modes. Normal mode is a three minute session and ideal for daily cleaning in the morning. Deep cleaning is a little more effective, it lasts for five minutes.
The device’s Steribrite technology combines 43,000 Hz ultrasonic cleaning with UV-C light, killing 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and pathogens. Impressively, the Sonic Spa Pro has this kind of technology along with its cleaning tablets, meaning it will still clean your dental appliances if you prefer to just use water. Not many models have it, so that explains the higher price.
There’s no option to use the device without the UV-C light, so if you’re not sure about its results, I’d recommend going with a simpler model. I didn’t have this problem, and after using the SURI Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush UV-C Travel Case, it’s now a feature I purposely look for in dental cleaning devices.
Sonic Spa Pro review: performance
I enjoyed using the Sonic Spa Pro and found it really effective in its results. After a few tries, I decided I liked cleaning my retainer every morning on normal mode for three minutes. I found that water was enough for a quick rinse, so I didn’t use a cleansing tablet. I then used the deep cleanse twice a week with a cleansing tablet, which felt a bit more intense.
It was really helpful how fast both functions are and I was able to turn it on when brushing my teeth. The device itself is also incredibly easy to use, with both modes activated by holding down the power button (two seconds for normal mode and five seconds for deep clean mode).
Unfortunately you can’t get away from the loud noise it makes when it’s on, which I found a bit annoying. However, it is not possible and as mentioned, it only takes a few minutes.
Overall, the Sonic Spa Pro effectively cleaned my retainer every time I used it, which I found to be significantly cleaner than ever before. I was really happy with the results and can’t imagine not using a dental appliance cleaner again.
Sonic Spa Pro review: verdict
I loved trying the Sonic Spa Pro and it is now a staple part of my morning routine. It’s an extremely easy piece of kit to use and its high-tech features ensure efficient and powerful cleaning. There is no doubt that it is on the expensive side and the high operating noise can be annoying, but its high design quality and efficient results justify it. I would recommend Sonic Spa Pro to anyone.
Sonic Spa Pro Review: Alternative
An alternative that should be considered is the ZIMA Dental Pod. It is very similarly priced to the Sonic Spa Pro (RRP £79.99) and also uses high frequency 42,000Hz ultrasonic waves to effectively clean a range of dental appliances. However, it only has one cleaning function and doesn’t come with cleaning tablets, so you’ll get a bit more bang for your buck with the Sonic Spa Pro.