2.2 Color braces for children and teens.

7.1 What colors can you get for braces?.

7.2 What color braces are best for yellow teeth?.

7.3 What color braces are most attractive?.

7.4 What is the least noticeable color on braces?Īlthough they are often called ‘colored braces', this type of brace is actually made of metal.

It's the small elastic bands fitted to the brackets which allow you to add some color. Your orthodontist attaches a metal bracket to each tooth with a strong dental cement, then connects the brackets with a wire called an ‘archwire'. The orthodontist tightens the wire in different places to gradually pull your teeth into alignment. It will take one or two hours to fit your braces, but each checkup will only be about 20 minutes. The actual fitting shouldn't hurt but your teeth may feel uncomfortable for a few days afterward, and after each subsequent adjustment.

Treatment with colored braces usually takes 18-24 months, depending on how misaligned your teeth are. There are two main kinds of orthodontic elastics used in braces, and each has its own purpose. Tiny elastic bands are placed on each of the metal brace brackets to hold the archwire in place. These are also known as ‘ligatures' or ‘o-rings'. The wire plays a big part in controlling how your teeth move, so those elastics have an important job to do. Ligatures are usually available in a wide range of colors.ĭentists use a special tool to fit and remove these little bands, as you'll see in the video below. Larger rubber bands may also be placed between the upper and lower jaw to help with alignment. This is more often the case with children's braces. They are connected to special hooks on the brace brackets. These are known as ‘inter-arch elastics' and look more like the rubber bands you would use at home. They are less commonly offered in different colors, but they are usually placed on the sides of the mouth so are less visible. If your braces need inter-arch elastics you will need to learn to fit these yourself as they have to be replaced several times a day. Here is a short video showing how a dentist fixes the archwire in place using ligatures:ĭr Claudia karkia is showing how the wire is placed on the braces and then how the color ties are put on. The wire is actually the way the teeth are moved. at the adjustment appointments the wire may be reshaped or changed to a thicker one.

There is one type of metal brace which doesn't use colored bands. Self-ligating braces (like Damon teeth braces) have a different style of bracket which lets the wire move automatically, so no elastics are needed to keep the wire in place.

Braces color wheel braces color