If you have been asked by your dentist to go in for braces, you have the option of choosing between plain old traditional braces or the exciting modern braces with different braces colors. Today you will find a stunning range of orthodontic braces available on the market. Especially kids love choosing from the attractive braces colors in keeping with the color of their school or their favorite sports team.
Some adults prefer wearing the clear braces that are discreet. Here are a few tips on choosing the right braces colors that match your personality.
Braces Colors for Adults
If you are an adult who does not want flashy braces colors, you can choose to straighten your teeth with Invisalign, lingual or clear orthodontic braces. Each of those is a completely different braces system. What all of them have in common is that they all are very discreet and in some cases practically invisible.
If you decide to go with lingual braces or Invisalign, color won't be an issue. For ceramic braces, you can take the help of your dentist to choose the right color for you. There are methods by which orthodontists today adjust the braces colors with the color of your teeth. This keeps the braces discreet and almost invisible as they blend in with the teeth color.
If you decided to go with traditional metal braces but prefer not to draw too much attention to them, then silver or gray colors might be a good choice.
Braces Colors for Kids and Teenagers
Consider going in for different braces colors instead of the traditional ones. For kids and teens, there are different braces colors available. You can choose from a range of exciting colors including colors of the school you attend or of your favorite sports team. You can use braces colors to express your personality, point of view and your sense of style.
Of course, it is essential to first find out what braces colors are available. Each brand has its own color options. We have gathered the available colors for popular brands in the braces color wheel section below.
Interactive Braces Color Selector
You can compare different braces colors using the color selector. If you are adventurous enough, you can mix colors and try different color combinations instead of sticking to one color. A lot of kids today choose rainbow colors to brighten up their teeth.
The Process of Changing Braces Color
As you browse around you will find many orthodontic braces colors available. You can try out one color to see if it suits you. If not, you can try another color on your next visit.
Orthodontists change the braces colors by removing and replacing the elastics around the brace brackets. The process of changing braces colors is not painful which is why many people do it. Some even change the color of their braces based on the holiday seasons. Inform your orthodontist much ahead of time if you wish to change your braces colors. This will ensure that he will be prepared with the colors you want on your next visit.
What Parts of Braces Can Be Colored?
There is a lot of confusion when it comes to naming certain parts of braces. There are two main types of elastics involved in teeth straightening process.
The first one are rubber bands which you might be asked to wear in some state of the teeth straightening process. You will attach those to the hooks on your braces and those will then apply specific forces that help straighten your teeth.
The second one are elastic ligatures that are sometimes also called elastic ties. Elastic ligatures are responsible for keeping the wires attached to the brackets. Those ligatures are the ones that people usually refer to when talking about braces colors.
Elastic Ligatures Brands
When choosing the color of your elastic ties, you may be concerned with the durability of that specific color. Some colors are easier to stain than others. However, the color itself is not the only factor that affects its stability.
A study conducted on 5 brands of elastics concluded that elastics of different brands react differently to staining. It also showed that elastic ligatures made by 3M Unitek and American Orthodontics were harder to stain than the other 3 brands.
Braces Color Wheel
Each of the brands manufacturing elastic ligatures for braces has its own color palette. Here are the color wheels for the two popular brands.
Colors you can choose from if your dentist is using ligatures by American Orthodontics:
Clear
White
Pearl
Gray
Silver
Black
Yellow
Orange
Dark Orange
Red
Fire Red
Bronze
Coral
Bubblegum
Punk
Rose
Tooth Color
Gold Rush
Burgundy
Lilac
Purple
Navy
Blue
Light Blue
Green
Lime
Shamrock
Aqua
Teal
Colors you can choose from if your dentist is using ligatures by 3M Unitek:
Clear
Gray
Smoke
White
Obscure
Light Blue
Dasky Blue
Teal
Navy Blue
Mediterranean Blue
Lavender
Hot Red
Orange Blast
Screaming Pink
Radical Red
Kelly Green
Extreme Green
Plum Crazy
Midnight Glow
Deep Black
Gold
Silver
Metallic Green
Metallic Blue
Metallic Purple
Although elastic ligatures are the most common way to influence the color of your braces some might want to go even farther. The wires and brackets usually come in silver metallic color however they don't have to.
If you are really into it, you can decide to have your wires and brackets in a golden color. You will then be wearing the same metallic parts as before just with a gold color coating on them. If you are interested, discuss this option with your orthodontist.
Different brands have different golden tints. Some might have a deep yellow tint while other might be very bright. Make sure you know what exact tint you are getting before actually getting it. Unlike the elastics, those can not be changed every visit so make sure you are really up to it.
The Pros and Cons of Wearing Golden Braces:
Pros
- Look like jewerly
- Are in some cases less noticiable
Cons
- May enhance the yellow tint of teeth
- More Expensive
Braces Color Themes
Choosing the right color for your braces can be really fun but can sometimes be challenging as well. You can decide to go with one color you like or select a mix of colors that will match a certain theme. Here are few examples:
Braces Color Examples
Holiday Themes
Christmas
Halloween
4th of July
Valentine’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day
Thanksgiving
Rainbow
Braces Colors for Girls
Braces Colors for Boys
Army
Firemen
Superheroes
Braces Colors Not to Get
When choosing the right color for your braces, there is really no color that you should avoid at all cost. Each color has its own limitations and its own benefits. Just make sure you are aware of them before making your decision.
White, Clear and Very Light Colors
Although light-colored rubber bands might be an obvious choice those might be difficult to maintain clean.
Light colored ligatures show up defects, stains and food colors. Strict oral hygiene and avoiding staining foods are required to keep them unstained. White elastics on teeth that are not perfectly white may highlight them, making the teeth look more yellowish.
Unless you are wearing ceramic braces and want them to be discrete, it is advisable to choose darker colors for your braces. Darker colors like red or green look attractive and do not highlight the negative aspects.
Yellow
Yellow brackets might enhance the yellowish tint of your teeth and make them look more yellow than they actually are. Since this is probably not the effect you are looking for try to avoid putting an excessive amount of yellow ligatures around your brackets.
Black
Although dark colors are advisable black is an exception. Black rubber bands around your brackets might make your teeth look rotten.
Dark Green or Brown
If you chose to get dark green elastics for your braces you might be at risk of looking like food was stuck in your braces. Brown braces color might sometimes make teeth look less clean.
What Color Braces Make Teeth Look Whiter
To make teeth look whiter prefer ligatures with darker and contrasting colors. Blue, Purple and Green are great color examples that will enhance the whiteness of your teeth.