Navy blue is my go-to because it hides just about everything—except, ironically, the spinach from my salad last week. That stuff finds a way to announce itself no matter what color I pick. Compared to black, navy seems to look cleaner for longer. Black bands (at least on me) picked up this weird greenish tinge after a while, which was not the vibe I was going for.
I totally get worrying about looking silly. I’m on the older end too and didn’t want to look like I was trying to relive middle school. But honestly, nobody even notices the band colors unless they’re up close... and if they are, they’re probably not judging your braces anyway. Plus, darker colors seem to stain less than lighter ones (looking at you, clear and white—never again). I just avoid anything neon or glittery and stick with the basics.
If you’re budget-minded like me and want to stretch out time between ortho visits, navy’s been a solid choice for hiding stains and food bits. Still, nothing’s foolproof if you eat blueberries or curry... ask me how I know.
I keep hearing about navy being the safest bet, but I’m still kinda nervous about picking a color at all. I’m worried I’ll choose something that looks good in the ortho’s chair and then totally regret it later. Does the navy ever look too dark or almost black in certain lighting? Also, how often do you actually have to change the bands—do they get gross if you wait too long? Just trying to figure out what I’m getting myself into before my first appointment...
I totally get the hesitation. When I first started researching band colors, I kept seeing navy as the “safe” choice too, but I was worried it’d just look black in low light or in photos. From what I’ve seen on friends, navy can look pretty dark, but it still has a blue tint unless it’s really dim. As for changing bands, my orthodontist swaps them out every 4-6 weeks at adjustments, so they don’t get too gross unless you eat a lot of foods that stain. If you’re worried about regretting your color, maybe try a navy on just the top or bottom row first? That way it’s less of a commitment.
As for changing bands, my orthodontist swaps them out every 4-6 weeks at adjustments, so they don’t get too gross unless you eat a lot of foods that stain.
I get where you're coming from about navy looking almost black sometimes, but honestly, I've seen patients who actually like that subtle look. It kind of blends in and doesn't stand out as much in photos, which some people prefer. That said, if you're worried about stains or fading, darker colors like navy do tend to hold up better than lighter ones. I wouldn't stress too much about regretting it—bands get swapped out pretty often anyway. If you want a pop of color that still feels safe, teal or dark green can be a nice middle ground.
If you want a pop of color that still feels safe, teal or dark green can be a nice middle ground.
Funny enough, I went with dark green once thinking it’d be subtle, but under certain lights it looked almost black—kinda like navy does. Didn’t hate it though, just wasn’t what I expected. Personally, I’ve found burgundy holds up well too and doesn’t stain as much as lighter shades. At the end of the day, bands really do get swapped out pretty quick, so it’s low risk if you wanna experiment a bit.