title: Color preferences of patients receiving elastic ligatures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Ondokuz Mayis, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elekdag-Turk
authors.forename: Nurhat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozkalayci
authors.forename: Devrim
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Isci
authors.forename: Tamer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Turk
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