What are the best braces colors? That depends on a variety of factors, including your personal preferences, the season, whether you’re trying to coordinate your braces to your outfit, and more. Ultimately, no one color for braces is universally considered to be “the best”.
But what if you want help choosing? No problem! You may find it helpful to keep the following in mind when picking out the perfect shade of braces colors.
Braces Colors: A Rainbow of Possibility
Most orthodontists offer a wide range of braces colors.
The small elastic bands that hold braces brackets to archwires are offered in neutrals like white, black, gray, and brown to more zany options like neon and even glow-in-the-dark! In short, the full ROYGBIV spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) is available plus more.
While each orthodontist provides a different selection of colors, chances are if you choose traditional braces, you can pick just about any color you like at your next visit.
The exceptions to this rule are:
- If you have clear aligners, which don’t require rubber bands at all.
- If you have lingual braces, where the brackets are in the back so no color is seen from the front of the tooth.
Factors to Consider when Choosing Different Braces Colors
Want guidance in choosing the perfect shade of rubber bands for your braces? Here are the factors that most people keep in mind when deciding on the best color for their braces at each visit.
What Season Is It and Are There Any Upcoming Holidays or Special Occasions?
- Winter: Consider cool colors like blue, plum, white, gray, and black.
- Spring: Consider pastel shades like pink, sky blue, bright green, yellow, and lavender.
- Summer: Consider bright shades like orange, neon yellow or pink, royal blue, and aqua.
- Fall: Consider earth tones like brown, red-orange, goldenrod, olive, and cranberry.
- Holidays: Blue and white for Hannukah, red and green for Christmas, red, pink, and white for Valentine’s Day, red, white, and blue for Independence Day, and silver and gold for New Year’s Eve are just some popular holiday color choices.
What Color Braces Are Most Popular?
Variations on the main colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple) are generally the most popular.
What Are the Best Braces Color Combinations?
That depends! Some prefer monochrome looks (i.e. different shades of blue). Others prefer complimentary colors (i.e. blue and orange) for a pop. The choice is truly yours but we’re always happy to help you choose if you’re prone to decision fatigue.
What Color Braces Make Your Teeth Look Whiter?
Generally speaking, opting for braces with darker tones will make your teeth look whiter by comparison. These include shades like black, rich purple, and navy blue.
What Color Braces Look Best in Pictures?
It may be easier to notice darker colors vs. lighter colors in pictures.
Another factor to consider is the color of your skin tone, and eyes, and what colors would coordinate or contrast with those colors in photographs.
It may be helpful to analyze what “season” you are in terms of your features and choose colors accordingly.
What Color Braces Should a Girl Get vs. A Guy?
Traditionally, some colors like pink and purple have been considered more “feminine” and other colors like black and blue have been considered more “masculine”.
Today, for many people, associating certain colors with particular genders, like wearing white after Labor Day, is considered antiquated.
So choose whatever colors you like, regardless of how you identify on the gender spectrum.
Matching Your Braces to Your Personality & Preferences
- Personality: Are you more of an extrovert? You may be drawn to brighter bolder colors that attract attention. If you’re more of an introvert, you may instead be drawn to more subdued tones and neutrals.
- Favorite Color: If you just love the color pink, you might want to have that as your braces color. If, instead, you’re drawn to blue, that might be a good pick. For many people, the best braces colors, subjectively speaking, are their favorite colors!
- Eye Color: People often choose the match their braces to their eye color, especially if they’re adults who are looking to turn their braces into a part of their coordinated look, helping them blend in more than stand out.
- Mix & Match: For some folks, there’s no rhyme or reason to choosing braces colors. Feel free to mix and match colors to your heart’s delight if that’s your thing!
What to Expect with Braces & Colors
Many folks find getting braces can be uncomfortable at first. Changing your habits and routines can be unsettling, especially if you or your loved one is neurodivergent. And then of course there’s the fact that orthodontic treatment with braces does involve physically shifting your teeth which is no small feat. But rest assured: braces aren’t something to fear.
In fact, for the vast majority of people who get them, braces become just another part of their daily life in a matter of days to weeks. Due to the wide range of braces colors available and the ability to choose between them regularly at checkups, many folks even begin to look forward to visits to the orthodontist!
Like changing out a smartwatch band or choosing clothing accessories, choosing between subdued or bright-colored bands; glow-in-the-dark options, and neutrals can be extremely exciting. At The Super Dentists, we certainly work hard to make getting braces as fun and rewarding as possible for parents and kids!
If you are thinking about getting braces for yourself or your child, we invite you to schedule a braces consultation now to learn more about what to expect.
