Changing Your Brace Elastic Colours: A Guide to Customising Your Fixed Braces

One of the most frequently asked questions by patients with fixed braces — particularly teenagers — is about brace elastic colours. The small elastic ligatures that hold your archwire to each bracket come in a huge range of colours, and changing them at each appointment is one of the few ways you can customise the look of your fixed braces. This guide explains everything you need to know: how the colours work, how to choose them, which ones to avoid, and what actually happens when you change them.

What Are Brace Elastics?

Fixed braces consist of brackets bonded to each tooth and an archwire that runs through them. The elastics — sometimes called ligature ties or O-rings — are tiny rubber bands that hold the archwire into the slot on each bracket. They come pre-packaged in a wide range of colours and are replaced at each adjustment appointment.

Note: not all fixed braces use coloured elastics. Self-ligating braces (such as Damon brackets) use a sliding mechanism rather than ligature ties, so they do not offer the colour customisation option. If you specifically want coloured elastics, check that your chosen bracket system includes them when you explore treatment types.

How Often Can You Change Your Brace Colours?

Elastics are changed at every routine adjustment appointment, which typically takes place every 6–8 weeks. This means you get a fresh opportunity to choose new colours multiple times throughout your treatment. Over an 18-month treatment, that is roughly 10–12 colour changes — so there is plenty of scope to experiment.

The elastics do stretch and can fade between appointments, which is why they need replacing regularly rather than just when they break. Broken or missing elastics can be replaced at an emergency appointment if needed, though this is rarely urgent.

Popular Colour Choices and What to Avoid

The most consistently popular brace colours tend to be mid-to-dark shades. Here is a general guide:

Good choices:

Colours to approach with caution:

Mixing Colours: Single-Colour vs Multi-Colour Looks

You do not have to choose just one colour — many patients choose a mix. Common approaches include:

The orthodontic nurse placing your elastics will be experienced at quickly and accurately placing a pattern you specify. It adds minimal time to the appointment — usually less than a minute.

Do Elastics Affect How Braces Work?

The coloured ligature elastics that hold the wire in do not affect treatment speed or outcome. This is a common misconception — the colour is purely cosmetic. The force that moves your teeth comes from the shape and spring properties of the archwire, not the elastics holding it in place.

Note that some patients are prescribed separate, thicker elastics (called inter-arch elastics or rubber bands) that are worn between upper and lower teeth to correct bite problems. These are not the same as the ligature ties described in this article — they are functional, not decorative, and must be worn as instructed.

What to Tell the Nurse at Your Appointment

At each adjustment appointment, you will typically be asked what colour elastics you want. If you are not sure, it helps to have thought about it beforehand rather than making a rushed decision in the chair. Some patients keep a note of what they chose last time so they can decide whether to repeat it or change.

You can ask the nurse for their recommendation — they see hundreds of patients and have a good sense of what works. If you have an important event coming up (a prom, a wedding, a job interview), mention it and they may be able to suggest something appropriate.

For more on how fixed braces work, typical costs, and ongoing support during treatment, explore our guides.