Braces are usually the first line of correction when it comes to perfecting your smile. While you might not have your perfect teeth just yet, there's no reason why having braces should make you feel less confident about your smile. The elastic bands that surround the metal or ceramic brackets are offered in a number of different colours, so you can choose the shade that's right for you. Whether you want to complement your skin tone or get festive with your look, the right colour of braces can help boost your confidence until they are ready to come off. Here's how to choose the perfect shade.
Braces Colours and your Skin Tone
You can choose a colour that helps complement your skin tone. If you have dark or olive skin, opt for bright jewel tones, like gold, turquoise, violet or navy. If you have fair skin, cool colours look best, so try silver, sky blue, light pink or lilac braces. Choosing colours based on your skin tone also helps ensure that your braces always look good with whatever you're wearing, since you're likely to choose clothing colours that naturally flatter your skin.
Braces & Teeth Colour Correction
Remember that your braces can create contrast between the elastics and your teeth, so you can use your bands for colour correction. If you're self-conscious about your teeth being yellow or stained, choose darker colours, which can make your teeth look whiter. Avoid yellow or orange bands, which don't contrast as much and can even make your teeth look yellow. While white might seem like a good idea, your teeth might look dull in contrast, and white bands can actually stain over time, so it's best to choose another colour. If you want a colour that's less noticeable, go with clear elastics. It's also best to avoid colours like black, green or brown, since they might be confused with bits of food stuck on your teeth.
Get Festive with Braces Colours
You can choose the colour of your braces based on your mood, a holiday, and even team spirit, since you can change your bands every four to six weeks. Here are some fun ideas to try:
- Alternating school colours
- Red and green for Christmas
- Orange and black for Halloween
- Red, white and blue for the summer
- The colours of your favourite sports team
- Ask about glow-in-the-dark bands that look clear in the day, but shine neon green at night!
Braces and Proper Care
Whatever colour you decide to get, make sure to keep your teeth, brackets and elastics clean with the proper care. Your orthodontist or dental professional will give you tips for keeping your braces clean and intact, such as avoiding sticky foods, brushing twice daily and flossing. Consider getting a toothbrush with floss bristles that clean deep in between teeth and along the gumline. Caring for your teeth means your elastics stay clean and your colours vibrant until it's time to change them.
Braces don't need to cramp your style. In fact, with the right colour choices, your braces can actually enhance your look until you're ready to reveal your perfect grin. Choose carefully, and you'll be ready to show the world your smile long before your braces come off.
