Braces colors: picker and ideas

Page updated October 14, 2026. Medically reviewed by Dr. Abraham Thomas and Dr. Jennifer Loucks-Buren.

The colors on braces are the tiny elastic ties, called o-rings or ligatures, that hold the wire to each bracket. They come in many colors and are usually changed at every adjustment visit, so you can pick a new look every few weeks. Try combinations on the color picker below before your next appointment.

Braces color picker

Choose up to three colors and a pattern, and see how they look across a smile. Then write down the names to tell your orthodontist.

Colors on screen are approximate; ask to see your orthodontist's color chart, because the shades each office stocks vary.

How braces colors work

Each bracket has a small elastic ring around it that holds the archwire in the bracket slot. The AAO calls these o-rings, ligating modules or o-ties; a ligature can also be a very thin wire (AAO). O-rings come in a variety of colors and are generally changed at each adjustment appointment (AAO), which is usually every 4 to 12 weeks (AAO). That's your chance to switch colors.

Some patients also get a power chain: a stretchy series of connected o-rings placed across several brackets to hold the wire and close spaces between teeth (AAO). Your orthodontist decides when a chain is needed; ask what colors are available for it.

If you have self-ligating braces, the brackets have a built-in door that holds the wire, so an elastic ring isn't needed (AAO). You may have fewer color choices, or none, unless elastics are added for other reasons.

How to choose your colors

• Less noticeable: clear or tooth-colored ties make metal braces blend in (Cleveland Clinic). Silver or gray can also blend with metal brackets.
• Bold: one bright color across the smile makes a statement; two alternating colors look more playful.
• For an occasion: plan ahead for a holiday, a school event or a team's colors, since you'll keep the colors until your next adjustment.
• For photos: if you have a big event coming up, a single neutral or soft color tends to look calmer in pictures than three bright ones.

Color combination ideas

Ideas by age

• Younger children: bright single colors or a rainbow repeat. Designer brackets in shapes such as stars and hearts are also available and work just as well as standard ones (AAO).
• Teens: school or team colors, or a seasonal change at each visit. Pick something you'll be happy with for the weeks until your next adjustment.
• Adults: clear, silver or a single muted color is a common choice for work. If you want braces that are less noticeable overall, see ceramic braces or clear aligners.

Ties, power chains and elastics: what's what

A year of color ideas

With adjustment visits every few weeks (AAO), you get many chances to change colors. One way to plan a year:

Telling your orthodontist what you want

Write down the color names from the picker, or take a screenshot of the preview, and bring it to your appointment. Ask to see the office's color chart first, since shades vary, and say whether you want one color, alternating colors or a repeating pattern. If you're not sure, a single color is the easiest to change next time.

Three quick checks before you choose

• What does the office stock? Ask to see the color chart; the names and shades differ between practices.
• How long until your next visit? You'll live with the colors until your next adjustment, usually a few weeks away (AAO).
• What do you eat and drink? Light and clear ties show stains from coffee, tea and tomato sauce more than darker ones (Cleveland Clinic).

Not sure where to start? Pick one color you like for your first visit, see how it looks in photos for a few weeks, and adjust from there at your next appointment. Most people try several combinations over the course of treatment, so there's no pressure to get it perfect the first time.

Colors with ceramic (clear) braces

With ceramic braces the brackets are clear or tooth-colored, and the ties are usually clear too, to keep the braces discreet (Cleveland Clinic). The catch is staining: clear braces are more prone to staining than metal braces, and Cleveland Clinic suggests avoiding coffee, tea, red wine, tomato sauce and soy sauce (Cleveland Clinic). Because the ties are changed at each adjustment (AAO), stained ties don't last long, but between visits they can show. If clear ties stain quickly, ask whether a tooth-colored tie is an option. More in ceramic braces cost.

Keeping the colors bright

• Brush after meals and at least twice a day with a soft toothbrush, and floss around the brackets once a day (Cleveland Clinic).
• Limit dark, staining foods and drinks, especially with clear or light ties (Cleveland Clinic).
• Avoid hard, sticky, crunchy and chewy foods that can break a bracket (AAO). A lost tie or broken bracket means an extra visit.

Do braces colors cost extra?

We haven't found a published source on whether colored ties cost more, so ask your orthodontist. Ties are a routine part of adjustment visits, which are normally included in the treatment fee (AAO). The bigger price difference is between types of braces: metal braces cost $3,000 to $7,000 and ceramic braces $4,000 to $8,000 (CareCredit data, 2022). See types of braces compared.