Color Preferences of Patients Receiving Elastic Ligatures

OBJECTIVES To determine the color preferences for elastic ligatures among patients receiving fixed-appliance orthodontic therapy. METHODS Five hundred patients with metal brackets (336 female patients and 164 male patients) were included, and their color preferences for elastic ligatures were recorded using a color scale. Chi-square analysis was performed to evaluate the color preferences and to determine the influence of age and gender on color preferences (P<.05). RESULTS Two hundred and seventy-six patients (55.2%) preferred strikingly colorful elastic ligatures, while 224 patients (44.8%) preferred less noticeable elastic ligatures. No significant difference was observed between the color preferences of female and male patients (P>.05). However, significant differences were observed between the color preferences of adolescents and older patients (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Female patients preferred red-purple-colored tones, while male patients preferred blue-black-colored tones. Adolescents preferred colorful elastic ligatures, while older patients preferred ligatures with less-noticeable colors. A stock of 10-12 colorful and less-noticeable elastic ligatures seems to be adequate to ensure patient satisfaction.