The first trip to the orthodontist can feel overwhelming. After getting all the work done to have an appliance affixed, the next step will be to pick the colors of the braces’ bands. If you have dark skin, you may wonder what the best braces colours are.
Having dark skin means most colours will look great on you.
There’s no need to worry about being washed out by bold or bright colours like people with lighter skin tones. Even pastels will work well in contrast with beautiful dark skin.
Ultimately, the choice will be yours, and you know yourself best, so pick whatever colours appeal to you most.
We have a few recommendations for choosing the best braces colours for dark skin to check out before making your decision.
- Why Get Conventional Braces?
- Blue
- Undertones
- Using Complementary Colors
- Colours that Are Hard to Pull Off
- Conclusion
Why Get Conventional Braces?
Adults who wore clunky headgear as kids may have a somewhat negative connotation with braces. Sure, their teeth ended up looking great, but they probably got teased about all the metal in their mouths at one point.
So why are people still opting for conventional braces? The reasons are pretty simple. Traditional braces work quickly and are usually the least expensive option. The enjoyable part about conventional braces is customization.
Conventional braces utilize elastic bands to help move the teeth into place. These bands are available in a variety of colours, so styling your braces to be uniquely yours is easy!
If you’re hesitant about whether or not style and braces belong together, look no further than the famous example of Blue Ivy Carter. While we’re on the topic of blue, let’s look at our top colour recommendation.
Blue
If you have dark skin, blue will be one of the best braces colours for you.
Chances are, your dark skin is a shade of brown. If you want a colour that is complementary to that, try blue! Brown skin comes in many different shades, but so does blue. A bold navy or a powder blue both set off dark skin tones in different ways.
Blue is one of the most popular colours in the world. The difficulty of the production of blue in the ancient world made it hard to come by. This rarity gave the colour an air of royalty and grace.
Blue has even more positive connotations today. The colour’s symbolism represents peace but also strength. It is a favorite for use in nations’ flags because of all of the meaning associated with the colour.
Blue isn’t the only way to go if you’re looking for complementary colours.
Undertones
Find your undertone if you want to know what other colors will pair best with your dark skin. Some people have warm undertones, while others have cool undertones. Skin can also have a neutral undertone.
A warm undertone will show hints of warmer colours like reds, oranges, and yellows. Cool undertones will appear more blue or purple. Neutral skin undertones fall in between the two.
You can use a neat trick to tell if your undertone is warm or cool: try on some jewelry. If you glow in gold, you probably have warm undertones. If you sparkle in silver, your undertones are more than likely cool.
Using Complementary Colors
Once you know your undertone, you can use that as a launching point to choose the best color for your dark skin.
There are different ways to work with undertone colours. Pair your undertone colour with bands of like colours for a monochromatic look. You can highlight your undertones with their opposite on the colour wheel for a complementary match. For example, if your dark skin has yellow undertones, purple would be its complement.
If you’re willing to go bold and your orthodontist allows for more than two colour choices, you can try styles with a split complementary or a triadic colour palette.
Split complementary colour schemes split the difference between the actual complementary colour and adjacent colours. So instead of getting using just purple as a complementary color to your dark skin with yellow undertones, you would use fuchsia and blue.
A triadic colour story takes this even further. Instead of pairing a colour with its complement, it uses evenly spaced colours on the color wheel. Using our previous example of dark skin with yellow undertones means using the triadic method, the colour of your braces would be a bold blue and a bright red.
It isn’t necessary to only use undertones when pairing colours. Search for colors complementary to the colour of your hair, eyes, or wardrobe.
If you’re more interested in function than colour, check with your orthodontist to see if they have glow-in-the-dark bands!
Colours that Are Hard to Pull Off
Whether your skin is dark or light, a few braces colours aren’t the best for anyone.
White or light yellow bands on braces are tough looks to pull off well. Choosing one of these soft colours might seem like a good idea to conceal your braces. Unfortunately, our teeth won’t always match the bright white of our bands. White and yellow bands can bring attention to yellowing or stained teeth.
Light coloured bands can also get dirty more quickly than other colours. Foods that can stain our teeth can also stain our braces. Bear this in mind if you decide to pick these colours.
Brown and dark green are beautiful colors. The problem with using them as bands on braces is they’re also the same colour as some of our favorite foods. Wearing braces already brings extra scrutiny to our mouths, so choosing colours that look like it could be food stuck in your teeth might not be the best way to go.
Conclusion
Remember, our recommendations should inspire you, not limit you. So whether you pick a complementary colour or a random hue you’re partial to, it’s up to you!
The best braces colours for your dark skin are whatever makes you feel most confident. Choose a colour, or several, that represents you!
FAQs
Braces Colors and your Skin Tone
You can choose braces colors that help 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 colors look best, so try silver, sky blue, light pink or lilac.
What are the top 3 best colors for braces? ›
Some of the most popular colors are clear, white, and gray. Depending on your orthodontist and their customization options, other colors may be available as well.
Is black a bad braces color? ›
Don't be afraid to experiment with your braces colors. You can change them every month. Steer clear of extremely dark hues such as black and brown, as they can give your teeth a stained or discolored appearance. The same goes for white, yellow, and clear rubber bands.
Is purple a bad color for braces? ›
If you're really hoping to make your teeth appear whiter than they are, choosing the right braces color is a good start. Darker colors such as black, dark purple and navy blue make your teeth look whiter. If none of these strike your fancy, try red or light blue to make your teeth appear brighter.
What braces colors make your teeth look lighter? ›
While the bands can't actually whiten your teeth, they can make them appear whiter. To do it, ask your orthodontist for a dark colour. Dark colours like deep blue or purple are going to contrast against the colour of your teeth beside the brackets and make them appear whiter.
What color braces make green eyes pop? ›
Braces for green eyes: Go for deep purples, rich maroons, or even a lush green to bring out your beautiful green eyes. Braces for brown eyes: Choose striking contrasts such as azure, aqua, or violet to make your brown eyes pop. Braces for hazel eyes: Hazel eyes offer flexibility.
What colors do braces not stain? ›
Grey or silver will be great choices if you want stain proof that fits your metal braces well. Certain patients also decide that colors for food bits–e.g., green can be avoided. For obvious reasons, yellow is also quite unpopular!
What color braces should a girl get? ›
What are the finest colors for girls' braces? The following are some of the best braces colors for girls: Pink, pale blue, muted crimson, dark purple, or silver is all options for a lady with a lighter skin tone. Dark blue, pink & turquoise, a violet color is a suitable options for girls who have a darker complexion.
What color braces make your teeth look yellow? ›
If you want whiter-looking teeth, you should avoid the following braces colors: White/Gold/Clear – can make your teeth look dull or yellow. Green – could be mistaken for food stuck in your teeth. Brown – could make your teeth appear yellowed and dirty.
What is the most unnoticeable color of braces? ›
Clear bands are the most suitable, unnoticeable ceramic braces color choice for adults. Below are rubber band color combination ideas that work for both young and old.
Yes, you can still kiss with braces. Use some of your own discretion when determining whether you're ready to kiss your Valentine. You don't have to worry about your braces getting stock on your date's braces, but if applying some dental wax makes you feel more at ease—go for it!
Can I eat McDonalds with braces? ›
A: Yes, you can eat a burger AND sushi with braces. Remember to chew carefully. You can also cut your food into bite size pieces. A few days after getting your braces on or after an adjustment, you may feel sensitivity or soreness in your teeth.
Do you lose weight when you get braces? ›
The short answer is, traditional metal braces and Invisalign can adjust your eating habits causing you to consume less calories and lose weight. Remember, weight loss happens when you burn more calories than you consume. If you are running 15 miles a day, you can consume 3000 calories and still lose weight.
What color braces for dark skin? ›
Braces Colours and 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.
What colors to avoid for braces? ›
Avoid dark colors like black or brown since they might stain and discolor your teeth. White and yellow bands should also be avoided since they absorb the color of dark beverages like coffee, tea, or red wine.
How to choose braces color? ›
First, it would help to consider how noticeable you want your braces to be. If you do not want them to stand out, black may be the right color for you. Alternatively, if you would like your braces to stand out against your skin tone or hair color, you may want to choose a brighter color.
Do braces darken your teeth? ›
During orthodontic treatment, the color of teeth may darken to gray or brown as a sign of discoloration, necrosis, or devitalization of the pulp. Tooth discoloration is a rare phenomenon, however it may come to patients as a disturbance which may disrupt the doctor-patient relationship.
Do braces hurt? ›
Braces don't hurt when you get them, but minor discomfort is common. Some patients have pain while their mouth adjusts to their braces, and they describe it as a sore or achey jaw. Mild over-the-counter pain relievers and home remedies like saltwater rinses are very effective at soothing braces pain.
How long do braces take? ›
That depends on several factors. The average treatment time for traditional metal braces is 12-24 months. Someone with a mild overbite and only a couple of crooked teeth may only need 12 months. Someone with a severe overbite, a crossbite, several crooked teeth, and impacted teeth may need every day of that 24 months.
What color braces look best on brunettes? ›
Lighter skin and hair work well with either bright or dark colors, such as pink, light blue, navy, light purple, violet, red, and even bronze colors. Darker skin and hair work well with darker jewel colors, like turquoise, emerald, violet, and navy blue. Pastel and neon colors also work well to provide contrast.
If you have a light skin tone then you should choose colors like purple, light blue, bronze, dark purple, or reds because these colors will complement lighter skin tones. Make sure to choose darker colors to make your teeth whiter and avoid light colors because colors like yellow, white can dull your face.
Is orange a good color for braces? ›
Braces and Teeth Color Correction
It's also best to stay away from band colors like brown or green because someone could mistake them for bits of food stuck in your teeth. Other colors that you might want to avoid include yellow or orange because they can make your teeth look more yellow than they are.
What color braces for red hair? ›
For example, if you have bright red hair, it is best to avoid red braces, but a bright blue color will really pop. Neon and jewel tones such as red or purple look good on olive or dark skin tones. Red or orange colors for braces really shine on lighter skin tones.
