Braces colours: how to choose the perfect shade for you

For many kids and teenagers, picking the colours is the only part of braces they actually look forward to. For adults it tends to be a quieter question: how do I make these as unobtrusive as possible? Either way, the choice is free, it is reversible every six to ten weeks, and a little colour theory makes it much easier. Here is how to choose.

What braces colours actually are

The coloured parts of braces are the ligatures: tiny elastic rings that hold the archwire into each bracket. They come on a stick or in a chain, in a couple of dozen or more shades depending on the supplier your orthodontist uses, and they are replaced at every adjustment visit because the elastic stretches and fades over a few weeks.

Because they are changed at every appointment, there is no cost to picking colours and no cost to changing your mind. Most practices keep a colour wheel at the chair; some let you pick two or more colours and alternate them across the teeth. The brackets and wire underneath stay the same regardless, so colours do not affect how your treatment works or how long it takes.

Two types of braces do not use coloured ties. Self-ligating brackets such as Damon have a built-in clip instead of an elastic, and lingual braces sit behind the teeth where no one sees them. If you want coloured bands, conventional metal or ceramic braces are the ones that take them. Our guide to the types of braces compares them.

Colours that make teeth look whiter

The most useful rule is contrast. Teeth are a warm, slightly yellow off-white. Put a dark, cool colour next to them and they look whiter by comparison; put a pale or yellow-toned colour next to them and they look duller. That is why orthodontists so often steer people toward dark blue.

• Navy and royal blue: the classic choice and the safest. Flattering on almost everyone.
• Dark purple and plum: slightly softer than blue, still high contrast.
• Emerald and forest green: distinctive, and the green undertone cancels yellow in enamel.
• Burgundy and deep red: bold, works well with dark hair and darker skin.
• Black: the strongest whitening effect, though from a distance it can be mistaken for food or decay.

If you are self-conscious about tooth colour, pick from this list and avoid anything pale. Whitening treatments are generally not recommended while braces are on, because the enamel under each bracket is shielded and would end up a different shade. Our guide to how to whiten teeth covers what is sensible after the braces come off.

Colour	Effect on how teeth look	Suits	Watch out for
Navy, royal blue, cobalt	Makes teeth look whiter; strong contrast	Everyone; the safest popular pick	Very dark blue can read as black in photos
Plum, violet, dark purple	Flattering, makes teeth look brighter	Fair and medium skin tones; brown eyes	Lighter lilac shows food more
Emerald, forest, teal	Whitens by contrast; distinctive	Olive and darker skin; green or hazel eyes	Lime and pale green can look yellowish
Red, burgundy, maroon	Whitens teeth; bold	Darker skin and dark hair; sport colours	Bright red can make gums look redder
Hot pink, magenta	Fun, brightens teeth slightly	Fair skin; younger patients	Pale pink fades and shows staining
Silver, grey, smoke	Blends with metal brackets; low-key	Adults wanting minimal look	Does nothing to whiten; can look dull
Clear or 'frosted'	Nearly invisible on day one	Ceramic braces; adults	Picks up stains from curry, coffee, tea and red wine within weeks
White	Looks bright for a day	Rarely a good choice	Makes teeth look yellow by comparison and stains quickly
Yellow, orange, gold, brown	Makes teeth look yellower	Team colours only, briefly	Lowest-contrast colours against enamel
Black	Very high contrast; whitens teeth strongly	Confident choice; goth and sport looks	Can look like food or decay from a distance

Choosing by skin tone, hair and eye colour

Colgate’s guide to braces colours offers a simple framework that most orthodontists would agree with. For darker or olive skin, rich jewel tones such as gold, turquoise, violet and navy stand out well. For fair skin, cooler shades such as silver, sky blue, light pink and lilac tend to be more flattering, though if you want teeth to look whiter, pick the darker end of each of those.

Eye colour is another easy anchor. Blue or grey eyes pair well with navy, teal and silver. Green and hazel eyes suit emerald, purple and burgundy. Brown eyes can carry almost anything, with deep blue, plum and forest green the strongest picks.

Hair matters less, but very dark hair with a strong colour (red, royal blue, emerald) looks deliberate, while blonde and light brown hair often sits more naturally with mid-tones such as teal or purple. None of this is a rule; it is a starting point for the colour wheel.

Colours to avoid (and why)

White looks fresh in the chair and dull by the end of the week. It makes enamel look yellow by comparison and picks up stains from almost everything. Yellow, orange, gold and brown have the same low-contrast problem, and from a distance can look like food caught in the braces. Clear ties are the usual choice on ceramic braces and are the least visible on day one, but they absorb colour from coffee, tea, curry, red wine and tomato-based sauces within a couple of weeks and can end up looking faintly yellow. If you have ceramic braces and drink a lot of coffee, ‘frosted’ or smoke-grey ties can be a better compromise.

Dark green and brown together, or very dark green alone, can be mistaken for spinach. Pale pink and pale blue are pretty but fade quickly and show staining. If in doubt, go one shade darker than you first picked.

Colour combination ideas

Most practices will happily do two or more colours. Some ideas that work well:

• Alternating: two colours on every second tooth, such as navy and silver or purple and teal.
• Top and bottom: one colour on the upper arch, a different one on the lower.
• Team colours: AFL, NRL, A-League and State of Origin colours are perennial favourites around finals. Maroon and gold, or blue and white, both work well.
• Seasonal: red and green for December, orange and black for Halloween, green and gold for Australia Day or the Olympics.
• Rainbow or ombre: a gradient across the arch. Looks great in photos; ask for the darker end near the front.
• Low-key adult: silver or smoke-grey on metal braces, so the ties disappear against the brackets.

Remember the ties will be on for 6–10 weeks, so match the colour to the whole period, not just the event. A school formal or wedding in week five of a bright-orange experiment is a common regret.

A few practical points

Coloured ties do not stain teeth; staining around brackets comes from plaque and food, which is a cleaning issue rather than a colour one. Brush after every meal, floss daily with a threader or interdental brushes, and your orthodontist will be a lot happier at each visit. Our guides to the best electric toothbrushes and best water flossers cover tools that make braces hygiene easier.

Avoid the foods that break brackets, since a snapped bracket means a repair visit and sometimes a fee; see what you can eat with braces. And if you are still deciding whether to get braces at all, our guides to braces cost in Australia and braces for kids are the place to start. Colour choices aside, treatment should only be provided by a dentist or orthodontist registered with AHPRA.

Common questions