The small metal or rubber elastics used to keep your archwire held into its slot on the bracket are technically referred to as elastic ligatures. These rubber bands also direct your teeth in a particular direction depending on how they are tied onto your tooth. Often, you have little choice in the way your braces look when it comes to their components except for the color of the ligature ties. You have an entire rainbow of colors to select from, but the choice might not be as simple as selecting your favorite color, though.

Blending In vs. Standing Out

When choosing braces, one of the initial aspects to consider is whether you want to have a discreet look with them or make a statement. If you want ligature ties that stand out, you can search from the various color options available. On the other hand, if you are seeking a more subtle look, you can choose ligature ties that closely match your brace colors. There are also clear ones, but you need to be careful about cleaning and refraining from drinking and eating things that cause stains on the ligatures, for instance, red wine, soft drinks, coffee, and tea.

Ties vs. Teeth

The color of the ligature ties can influence the look of your teeth. White ties may seem a good choice for you, but you need to be cautious. If your teeth don’t have the same shade of white ties, you could have teeth that look more yellow than usual. Yellow ties are also likely to bring a similar effect. On the flip side, darker colors can actually make your teeth appear whiter. Another point to add is that black, brown, and green colors can easily be mistaken for food debris that is stuck on your teeth.

Your Features vs. Themed Ties

Choosing ligature ties colors based on a theme is pretty fun. For instance, you can alternate red and green for festivities like Christmas or white, red, and blue for July to add some pizzazz to the braces. You can even choose colors of your best sports team or the clothing you wear often or even your skin tone, hair color, and color of your eyes. Contact us to find out more about braces and ligature ties color choices.