- Consult
- Records
- Bond
- Adjust
- Debond
- Retain
the coloured elastics are the little ties holding the wire to each bracket — swapped free at every 6–8 week adjustment. Pick one colour, alternate two, or theme the whole mouth. Nothing is permanent for more than a visit.
How it works
On most braces, a tiny elastic ring ties the wire into each bracket — and elastics come in every colour made. New adjustment, new colours, no cost, no commitment. (Self-ligating brackets clip without ties, so no colours — worth knowing before choosing hardware if colours matter to your kid.)
Combos kids actually pick
- Team colours — Canucks blue and green is a Coquitlam perennial.
- Alternating two colours — the most popular move; high contrast reads best.
- Seasonal — orange/black for October, red/green for December, school colours for photo day.
- Rainbow — commits fully; universally admired at age nine.
- Single deep colours — navy, purple, teal and emerald flatter every smile and make teeth look whiter.
The quiet menu
Silver and smoke blend with the brackets; light grey nearly disappears. Teens wanting subtle usually land here — or on ceramic brackets with pearl ties.
Colours the veterans skip
White and yellow-adjacent shades make teeth read yellower and stain by week three (curry and coffee are undefeated). Black reads as gaps from a distance. Clear ties stain fastest of all — if you want subtle, grey beats clear.
Colour day happens at every adjustment on the treatment timeline — for many kids it’s the reason appointments are exciting instead of scary. Whatever gets a seven-year-old happily into the chair is good orthodontics.
How it works at our practice
Colour choice happens at every adjustment and we let children take their time over it. Alternating two colours reads best; team colours are the Coquitlam perennial; deep single colours flatter every smile. We keep the full range in stock, including for power chains.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my braces colours?
At every adjustment, every six to eight weeks, at no cost.
What colours make teeth look whiter?
Deep colours — navy, purple, teal, emerald. Avoid white, yellow and clear, which show stains.
Do adults get colours?
Adults can, and some do; most choose silver, smoke or clear ties, or ceramic brackets with pearl ties.
Can I have colours on Invisalign?
No — aligners are clear. Colours are one of the arguments for braces in younger children.
Related reading
- Metal braces — the colour canvas
- Power chains — also in colours
- Braces for kids — where colours matter most
The bottom line
Colours are free, changeable every visit, and the reason many children look forward to adjustments. Pick deep shades to flatter, skip white and clear, and let the child decide — whatever gets them happily into the chair is good orthodontics.
If it were our own family
Our children changed colours every visit and planned them weeks ahead — team colours in the playoffs, orange and black in October. We'd steer them off white and clear, and otherwise let them decide.
What people also search for
“Best braces colours”
Deep navy, purple, teal or emerald flatter every smile and make teeth look whiter.
“Braces colours that make teeth look whiter”
Darker, cooler colours. Avoid white, yellow and clear.
“Can adults get coloured braces?”
Yes; most choose silver, smoke or clear, but nothing stops a bold choice.
The bottom line
Free, changeable every visit, and the reason many children look forward to adjustments. Deep colours flatter; white and clear stain; the child decides.