Ultimate Guide to Braces Colors: Make Your Smile Shine!

The really awesome thing about braces nowadays that you might not be aware of is that they’re not just about aligning your teeth anymore. They’re more like a fun accessory that lets you show off your personality!

Here’s the way you can think about it—you’re going to be wearing these braces for a while (usually 1-3 years), so why not make them reflect your personality? Are you someone who likes to get noticed in a crowd, or do you prefer to keep things elegant and low-key? Or maybe you’re someone who changes their mind every other week? In any case, there’s a perfect color combination out there for you.

In this article, we’re going to talk about everything you want to know about braces colors. We’ll go over some color families, talk about what each color can say about your personality, and I’ll share some insider information that will help you make the perfect choice for your style. Ready to get into all this color? Let’s get started!

Top Braces Color Choices for Any Personality

Classic Colors That Never Go Out of Style

Let’s start with the classics—these are the colors that never go out of style and fit just about anyone. If you’re the sort of person who prefers to keep things elegant and classy, these colors are definitely worth considering.

• Black is a bold, classic choice that looks great with metal brackets and adds a crisp, clean look to your braces. It’s perfect for people who prefer something simple yet refined.
• Clear (or no color) is also a subtle choice, giving you a very muted appearance with minimal attention to your braces. Though it stains over time, it’s the preference of those who want their braces to be a part of their smile.
• White is eternally and clean, a color which can provide a fresh, polished appearance. It blends with anything and provides classic fashion, although it should be mentioned that it can also become stained easily in the long term.
• Navy Blue is elegant, never out of style, and matches absolutely everything in your wardrobe. I love recommending navy blue to students who want to look polished for school photos or teens who are heading out for job interviews. As an added bonus, navy blue will even make your teeth look whiter—it’s like you’re receiving a whitening bonus just from your color choice!
• Purple has always been associated with creativity and wisdom, so if you’re an artist, a musician, or just someone who likes to think outside the box, this could be your color. I’ve noticed that those students who choose deep purple always get compliments because it’s unexpected but still elegant. 
• Burgundy is great if you’re a lover of autumn colors, snug sweaters, and warm fuzzies, burgundy might be singing your name. It’s also a great choice if you have warm skin tones—it can really make your natural color pop quite nicely. 
• Forest Green brings out the outdoorsy person in you and has a super chill, down-to-earth vibe. If you’re a big hiker, an environmentalist, or just find green to be a soothing color, this could be the way to go. 

Perfect For: Teenagers who want to look mature, anyone who has upcoming formal events (like prom or graduation), people who like classic style, or anyone who wants their first braces color option to be one that they know they will love. 

Here’s a pro tip: If you enjoy the idea of classic colors but want to add a little twist, attempt switching between two classic colors. For example, you could do navy blue on your top teeth and forest green on your bottom teeth. It’s still sophisticated but shows that you’re not afraid to be a little creative!

Bold and Bright Braces Colors

Now, if you’re the kind of person who loves being the center of attention and isn’t afraid to let the world see just who you are, bold and bright colors are calling your name! These colors are for the adventurous, the party animals, and those who believe life’s too short to wear boring colors. 

• Yellow is sunshine for your mouth! If you’re a naturally upbeat, high-energy person who likes to make people grin, neon yellow could be your perfect bet. Just keep in mind that yellow has a way of making teeth seem a bit less white than they actually are, but if you’re going for pure fun factor, that might not faze you one bit.
• Orange is for risk-takers and adventurers. If you’re a wild and crazy person who loves trying new things, playing sports, or you’re just a naturally high-energy person, electric orange might be calling your name. It’s warm, friendly, and impossible to ignore. 
• Hot Pink is sassy, confident, and unapologetically fun. If you like to celebrate your femininity or you just love bright colors, hot pink is a classic choice. And, hot pink photographs well, so all of your selfies are going to be amazing!
• Lime Green is alive, young, and fresh! It’s spring in your mouth! If you’re an outdoorsy type, you enjoy bright colors, or you need something that will make you feel positive and energetic, lime green could be perfect. It’s also a great choice if you want to do something bright but don’t want to go for the more popular hot pink. 

Perfect For: Outgoing personalities, people who like being in the spotlight, students who wish their braces would match their active lifestyle, or anyone who thinks that if you’re going to wear braces, you might as well make them amazing.

Tip of importance: Go big or go home with a bold color! Do not be shy about flashing that smile—these colors are made to be seen. Practice smiling confidently in the mirror, and tell yourself that your bold color choice is announcing to the world that you’re content with who you are.

Soft and Soothing Colors

There are also moments when you want color, but you also want something soft and gentle. Soft colors are perfect for those who love pastels, appreciate subtle beauty, or want something that also looks calming and serene.

• Lavender is a good choice for you if you love all things dreamy and soft, it brings out your romantic, gentle personality. It’s also a great choice if you want something different from the classic pink but still want something soft and feminine.
• Baby Pink is cute, soft, and traditionally beautiful. If you’re someone who loves cute things, enjoys soft colors, or wants something with a nurturing and caring quality to it, baby pink might be your perfect match. 
• Sky Blue is as calming as looking up at a sunny sky. If blue is your favorite color, you like that relaxed and collected sensation, or you simply need something that has you thinking of the ocean or a nice sky, this could be your color. It’s also a great neutral—not too showy, not too boring, just perfect.
• Mint Green is fresh, clean, and softly beautiful. Mint is perfect if you love the idea of green but require something less intense than forest green. It’s also perfect if you want something that will give the impression of being clean and fresh, or if you love colors that remind you of spring and new life.

Perfect For: Anyone who loves soft, romantic appearances, anyone who wants color but adores subtle beauty, students who need to maintain a more professional appearance for school or work, or anyone who wants something that will complement and not distract from their natural features.

Here is something to remember: Soft colors are perfect for photos because they will not compete with your natural beauty. If you have senior portraits or any other significant event where you will be photographed, these soft colors will be perfect on you without taking the attention away from your face.

How to Choose the Perfect Braces Color for You

Choosing the perfect braces color is a lot like choosing the perfect outfit—there are a few key considerations that can help you make a choice you’ll love every time you look in the mirror.

• Your Skin Tone Makes a Big Difference: This is not meant to limit your choices, but to help certain colors look even better on you. If you have warm undertones (i.e., your skin has yellow, golden, or peachy undertones), colors like coral, warm reds, oranges, and yellows will make your skin look healthy and radiant. If you have cool undertones (i.e., your skin has red, pink, or blue undertones), colors like navy blue, purple, silver, and true blues will complement your natural color perfectly.

• Your Eye Color Can Be Your Guide: Want your eyes to really pop? Choose braces colors that complement or contrast with your eye color in an attractive way. If you have blue eyes, colors like silver, navy, or even orange can make your eyes look incredibly bright and beautiful. Brown eyes are so versatile—they’re beautiful with greens, golds, and warm colors, but they also stand out with purples and blues. Green eyes look good with purples, burgundy, or even certain pinks. Gray eyes can wear almost any color, but they’re really dramatic with jewel tones.

• Consider Your Hair Color Too: Your hair color is a frame for your face, so taking into consideration how the colors of your braces will blend with your hair can help you get a well-coordinated general look. If you’re blonde, you can try pastel colors like pink, lavender, or mint green, which can be really beautiful. If you’re a brunette, you have a lot of options—earth tones like forest green or burgundy can look natural and beautiful, and bright colors can create a fun contrast. If your hair is black, bold colors and more muted colors can both look beautiful, so you have a lot of room to choose based on your personality. Red hair looks amazing with greens, blues, and certain purples.

• Consider Your Activities and Lifestyle: Will you be doing activities where you will be photographed a lot, like sports teams, drama club, or student government? Think about how colors will look in pictures. Are you someone who gives presentations or interviews? You might want professional-style colors that still show personality. Do you play a wind instrument where your mouth is visible? Some colors take a better picture than others when you are playing.

• Match Your Current Mood: Are you going through an energetic stage where you’re ready to conquer the world? Bright hues like neon yellow or electric orange could be just what you need to express that. Having a more reflective period where you’re focusing on school or thinking about your future? Softer colors like lavender or sky blue might feel more suitable. The best thing is, since you change up your braces colors every 4-6 weeks at your adjustment appointments, it’s easy to let your color choice evolve with your moods!

• Match Your Personal Style: Take a look at your closet for a moment. Are you a black, white, and neutral color type of person? Then classic colors like navy or silver will probably feel most like “you.” Is your closet patterned, full of bright colors, and fun accessories? Then don’t be afraid to go bold with your braces too! Your braces are just another accessory, after all, so they should match your personal style.

Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to ask your orthodontist to hold the colors up to your teeth prior to deciding definitively. Sometimes a color looks different on the wheel than it will on your teeth, and holding it up to your actual teeth can give you the best idea of what will look good.

Braces Color Combinations You Can Try

Here’s where we can get really fun! Who says you have to wear just one color? Mixing colors is a great way to express yourself and create a look that is uniquely yours.

• Rainbow Braces

Wear a different color on each bracket, creating a rainbow effect across your smile. Rainbow braces are the ultimate in fun and creativity. If you’re the kind of individual who loves color and wants to bring a smile to every single person’s face when they see your braces, then this is the way to go. 

Things to Consider: Rainbow braces are definitely a statement that will get noticed, so expect an abundance of comments and questions. They also appear particularly unique in photographs, so think about whether or not you’ll enjoy having rainbow braces in all your photos at this time in your life. The plus side, however, is that you can always try out rainbow for one session and then switch to something else if you think you’d rather have a different appearance.

Pro Tips: If you’re trying to do rainbow but fear it’s too much, do a “mini rainbow” with 3-4 colors that you alternate. Alternatively, you can do rainbow on your top teeth and one color on your bottom teeth, or vice versa.

• Monochrome Look

Choose one color for both your top and bottom braces, creating a clean, monochromatic look.

Monochrome is elegant, crisp, and ageless. It shows that you thought about your color choice without going over the top. This is especially good with ageless colors like navy blue, forest green, or burgundy. It’s also a good choice if you want color but not too much.

Pro Tips: Monochrome is a safe bet that almost everyone ends up loving, so in case you’re unsure about mixing colors, do this instead. You can always experiment with mixing at your next visit.

• Two-Tone Braces

Use two different colors, either alternating them between your teeth or having one color on top and one on the bottom. Two-tone gives you more choices than monochrome but less than rainbow. It’s a great way to combine two colors that you love or to represent two things that mean the most to you (like school colors, favorite teams, or just two colors that make you happy).

Great Two-Tone Combos:

• Navy and silver for a classic, sophisticated look
• Pink and purple for something soft and pretty
• Orange and blue for school spirit (or if you like contrasting colors)
• Green and yellow for a fresh, clean style
• Red and black for something dramatic and attention-grabbing

Pro Tips: If you’re choosing two colors, decide if you want them to complement each other (like various blues) or contrast with each other (like orange and blue). Both are great, but they create drastically different styles.

If you have any questions about braces colors or if you’re ready to start your own colorful orthodontic adventure, the team at Freeman Orthodontics is here to help! Our staff love helping patients choose colors that make them feel confident and excited about their treatment. We understand that every patient is unique, and we’ll work with you to make sure your braces experience is as positive and personalized as possible.

Holiday and Theme Combinations

Choose colors that represent holidays, seasons, or themes that are meaningful to you. Theme colors enable you to celebrate your favorites and can make visiting the orthodontist more like a fun event than a doctor’s appointment. And it provides you with a great excuse to smile even more at holidays!

Fun Theme Ideas:

• Christmas: Red and green, or red and white
• Halloween: Orange and black, or orange and purple
• Valentine’s Day: Pink and red, or pink and white
• Spring: Pastel colors like mint green, baby pink, and lavender
• Summer: Bright colors like lime green, hot pink, and sunny yellow
• School Colors: Whatever represents your school spirit
• Favorite Sports Team: Colors that show your team spirit

Pro Tips: If you do opt for theme colors, timing is everything. You’re going to have to live with these colors for 4-6 weeks, so if you choose Christmas colors in October, you’ll be more than eager for a change before the holidays even roll around. Schedule ahead with your orthodontist if you would like specific colors for specific holidays.

Braces Colors to Make Your Teeth Look Whiter

This is probably one of the most popular questions that I get, and it’s just such a smart thing to think about! Having the right color can actually make your teeth appear whiter and brighter, and that is a pretty wonderful bonus feature.

• The deep, dark blue is great contrast to your teeth and makes them look brighter and more luscious. The majority of my patients are amazed at just how whiter their teeth are with navy blue bands.
• Violet and dark purple do the same thing as navy blue. Purple is the color opposite yellow on the color wheel, so it will fight off any yellowing of your teeth and whiten them. The darker the purple, the more dramatic the result. 
• Dark Green, especially hunter or forest green, creates a stunning contrast that will whiten teeth. Green is a great choice if you want something to look extremely natural and earthy but still be able to give you that whiteness.

Colors to Be Aware Of

Even though I never want to limit anyone’s palette, it’s helpful to note that very pale colors like white, cream, or light yellow can sometimes cause teeth not to appear as white as they are because there just isn’t enough contrast. Similarly, colors that are super close to natural tooth color won’t give you that “pop” you’re looking for.

The trick works because of color and contrast. When you have a darker color alongside your teeth, your brain perceives your teeth as brighter and whiter relative to it. That is the very same reason that dark clothes can make your face look brighter, or diamonds seem brighter when there is darker metal around them.

Braces Color FAQs

How often can I change my braces colors?

You can swap your braces colors at each adjustment appointment, which is usually every 4-6 weeks. Some patients really enjoy changing colors each time—it makes them look forward to their orthodontic visit and keeps their experience new and exciting. Others select a color they really like and use it for several appointments. Both are absolutely acceptable!

The reason you get a different color at each visit is that the elastic ligatures that secure the wire to your brackets must be replaced from time to time. If left for too long, they may stretch, become discolored, or weaken and must then be replaced to continue moving your teeth as it should.

Pro tip: If you have a special event on the horizon, talk to your orthodontist about booking your appointment so you can get new colors for photos, dances, or other important occasions.

What Are the Best Braces Colors for Girls?

The following are some of the most popular:

• Pink and Hot Pink: Fun, vibrant, and perfect for expressing femininity. Hot pink is especially popular for those who want to make a statement.
• Lavender and Lilac: Soft, elegant, and calming. These pastel colors are ideal for a subtle yet chic look.
• Baby Pink: A cute, soft shade that adds a gentle touch of color to your smile without being too flashy.
• Rose Gold: A trendy and sophisticated color that blends elegance with style.

What Are the Best Braces Colors for Boys?

Some favorites are:

• Navy Blue: Classic and versatile, navy blue is ideal for a more mature and fashionable appearance. It also makes your teeth appear whiter!
• Forest Green: A fresh, natural color that echoes the outdoors, ideal for individuals with a relaxed personality.
• Black: Confident and bold, black braces can give your smile an edge while being sophisticated and low-key.
•  Red: Great for making a statement! Red is dynamic, eye-catching, and complements a lot of outfits.

What hues whiten your teeth?

Black colors like navy blue, dark purple, and dark green create the most whitening effect since they provide deep contrast with your teeth. Contrast trick makes your teeth look whiter and brighter than what they actually are.

Colors to avoid if whitening is the top priority are yellow, orange, and very light colors like white or cream because they will make teeth appear yellower or darker in comparison.

Here’s a tip: If you want that whitening effect but want to play around with different colors, you can change it up. Use navy blue once, then deep purple the next time, then forest green. You’ll get variety without sacrificing that brightening effect.

Can I mix and match colors?

Yes! Most orthodontists are happy to help you create color schemes. You might have a different color for your top and bottom teeth, alternating colors for all across your smile, or rainbow braces with a different color for every tooth.

The only limitation would be what colors your orthodontist currently has on hand, and some offices might have a policy on how complex they can get with the color schemes (since it does take a bit more time). But otherwise, most orthodontic offices love helping patients create fun, quirky color schemes.

What if I don’t like my color choice?

Don’t worry! You do not have to wear the same color all the time. At your next adjustment appointment (4-6 weeks), you can choose something completely different. Many patients go through several different colors during their treatment as their personal taste changes or they just want to change things around.

If you are really unhappy with a color choice, you can always call your orthodontic office and ask if they will swap it out ahead of time, although most offices prefer not to vary the standard adjustment schedule except in a special circumstance.

Is there something I should definitely stay away from?

While I believe that anyone should choose colors that make them happy, there are certain practical considerations:

Yellow, white, and cream sometimes tend to make your teeth appear yellower or whiter. Very dark colors like black can make it harder to notice whether you have clean teeth and braces or not. Too similar colors to your teeth tend to create the impression of having food trapped in your braces.

But honestly, if you’re fond of a color, wear it! You can always experiment with something else some other time.

Do all colors stain more easily?

Light colours like pale yellow, cream, and white tend to show stains more easily if you eat foods like curry, eat coffee or tea, or eat colourful foods. Dark colours will hide stains more effectively.

If you like light colours but worry about stains, just be a bit more careful about what you eat and drink, and care well to brush thoroughly after meals.

May I request special brands or flavours of elastic bands?

The vast majority of orthodontists use universal elastic bands, but if there are concerns over allergies or sensitivities, by all means, ask your orthodontist. Some clinics might have something else to provide.

Conclusion

Here’s the thing that I really want you to remember: there are no bad choices on braces colors. If you choose classic navy blue, bold hot pink, pale lavender, or go wild and color them rainbow colors, you’re making a choice that lets the world see who you are right now. And that is really awesome!

Ready to schedule your consultation and start exploring all those amazing color options? 

Give Freeman Orthodontics a call at (954) 772-1600 or visit their office at 1825 NE 45th St., Suite B in Fort Lauderdale. You can also check out their website at www.freemanortho.com to learn more about all the services they offer.

Remember, this is your journey, your smile, and your chance to show the world your unique style. So go ahead and make it colorful!