Like many middle schoolers across the country, Madison Aballi meticulously planned her look for the first day of 7th grade.
When she walked into her school in Westport, Conn., to reunite with old friends and meet new teachers, she showcased a new light pink North Face backpack, adorned with a whimsical Labubu keychain. She carried a new-to-her iPhone 15 Pro, passed down from her mother.
But her biggest statement, the ultimate fashion flex for 12-year-olds nationwide, was a brand-new set of shiny metal braces.
She estimated that nearly half her class also sported new metal orthodontics. “It’s kind of another accessory at this point,” she explained, comparing it to popular trends like Adidas Sambas or Brandy Melville.
Indeed, teens and tweens are fully embracing braces—and not just any kind. They’re actively seeking out the classic metal variety.
“Kids used to come in wanting clear liners,” observed Dr. Sable Staller, a Manhattan orthodontist. “Now kids are like, ‘No! I want metal braces!’”
It seems the clear aligners, once favored by parents, are out. Even the American Dental Association acknowledged this summer’s shift, quoting one dentist who declared metal braces have “never been cooler.”
A recent survey from the American Association of Orthodontics revealed a rise in metal braces usage, up to 77 percent in 2024 from 75 percent in 2022. Meanwhile, aligner treatments decreased from 25 percent to 23 percent over the same period.
“We are living in a time of super-high digital technology,” noted Dr. David Seligman, another Manhattan orthodontist. He finds it fascinating that the “analog version of braces is what is the most cool.”
The Unexpected Embrace of ‘Brace Face’
After all, the analog versions of almost everything are experiencing a resurgence in adolescent culture. This ranges from low-rise jeans and claw clips to point-and-shoot cameras. Metal orthodontics seem to be a natural extension of this trend.
For many parents who grew up in the 20th century, this might come as a surprise. Back then, phrases like “tinsel teeth” carried a negative connotation, symbolizing awkwardness and often used for comedic effect in pop culture. Think Anthony Michael Hall in classic 80s films like “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”
Since then, the perception of ‘nerdiness’ has largely evolved from an insult to an aspiration, and a strong nostalgia for the 90s continues to influence trends. The article notes that this generation embraces the once-derogatory term. “Everything about braces used to be negative,” said Avalene Roberts, a Manhattan dental hygienist and TikTok creator with more than two million followers. “People were bullied and called ‘brace face’ and ‘metal head,’” she explained. “This generation says: ‘Brace face? OK! I look cool.’”
Dr. Steven Siegel, president of the American Association of Orthodontics, fully supports this trend. “Braces are tried and true,” he stated. “I’ve heard patients refer to them as the O.G. orthodontic treatment.”
An image shows the actor Anthony Michael Hall wearing metal braces in seminal ’80s films like “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club” and “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”
An image shows actress Ayo Edebiri wearing a custom grill at the Golden Globes in January. The increasing visibility of grills on celebrities may be contributing to the comeback of ‘tinsel teeth.’
For Madison and her peers, metal braces are a look to be celebrated, personalized, and, of course, shared online. A quick scroll through social media apps reveals an abundance of orthodontic content.
“Seeing all the content makes kids feel like they’re part of the braces community,” said Dr. Staller, who engages with over 235,000 followers on TikTok as @bracesbysable. She added, “They feel like they’re part of the process and it’s revived metal braces. The industry has really leaned into it.”
Dr. Emily Driesman, Madison’s orthodontist in Westport, has even equipped her office with LED “on” and “off” signs, perfect for photo opportunities. Braces, she notes, have truly become “a bit of a status symbol.”
Dr. Driesman is also accustomed to patients documenting their entire orthodontic journey. “I’ve had kids Snapchatting from the chair getting their braces on and sending it off to a whole ton of kids,” she shared.
Rebecca Berry, a clinical psychologist and adjunct professor at N.Y.U. Langone Health’s department of child and adolescent psychiatry, views the popularity of metallic brackets as a sign of adolescents embracing authenticity.
“Whether with braces or pimple patches, there is a trend of more acceptance, of showing up as you are,” she explained. “It’s a more emotionally efficient method to say: ‘I’m not stewing over it. I’m not engaging in assumptions that people are looking at me. I’m just saying it’s here and it is what it is.’”
An image shows Madison Aballi, 12, smiling in front of her orthodontist Dr. Emily Driesman’s LED “on/off” sign after getting her braces put on Aug. 25.
Some adolescents even feel their braces reflect their personality. “I like that my braces suit who I am and how I act,” said Leonie Leroy, a 14-year-old 10th grader from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, describing herself as “very bubbly” and “not too serious.”
Celebrities and Their Sparkly Teeth
Using one’s teeth for a fashion statement is hardly new. Grills and tooth gems have been popular for decades, particularly in Black communities. The current appeal of glistening metal braces might stem from the growing number of celebrities sporting grills and gems on red carpets.
For instance, Ayo Edebiri showcased a custom grill at the Golden Globes in January. At the Met Gala in May, themed “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” attendees like A$AP Rocky, Doechii, Shaboozey, and Pharrell Williams (reportedly in gold Invisaligns) were among those flaunting decorated teeth.
Dr. Catrise Austin, a Manhattan and Brooklyn dentist who has treated notable figures like A$AP Rocky, D.J. Khaled, and Cardi B, recalled, “The 1980s through the 2000s are when grills became a major hip-hop fashion trend.” She added, “Growing up in Flint, Mich., I remember watching ‘Yo! MTV Raps’ in the ’80s and seeing smile styles.”
Dr. Melissa “Melz” Jones, a Riverdale, Ga., dentist and co-founder of the luxury custom grill company Melz Grillz with her daughter Ariel Jones, noted that grills weren’t always considered high fashion. “Grills were cool and everything, but they were for the rappers. The common perception was that they were ratchet or ‘ghetto,’” she said.
“Now they’re in the fashion houses,” she continued, asserting that the Met Gala “gave grills legitimacy.” Prices for these custom pieces can range from $1,200 to $30,000.
“You could probably say that braces are the practical version of grills,” suggested Dr. Austin, who plans to collaborate with Dr. Jones on Melz Grillz. “Both are about visibility and confidence overall. Both are saying, ‘My mouth is the centerpiece of my style.’”
Another Form of Flair
A much more affordable way to personalize one’s mouth is through orthodontic ligatures – those tiny, colorful rubber bands that attach to braces brackets.
Two images show Dr. Sable Staller, a Manhattan orthodontist and TikTok creator, and Avalene Roberts, a dental hygienist and TikTok influencer, both of whom advise on braces and rubber band colors.
These colored rubber bands are a significant factor in the metal braces resurgence. Ms. Roberts, the dental hygienist, sometimes offers consultations on rubber band colors. “I have a lot of people DM’ing me and asking, ‘What colors look good on me?’” she explained.
Her advice includes: Teal looks great on darker skin tones. For whiter-looking teeth, opt for blues and purples. “This generation wants to customize their braces to who they are,” she stated, adding that seasonal colors like orange and black for Halloween, or red and green for Christmas, are also popular.
What Goes On, Must Come Off
However, like all trends, braces are not meant to last forever. Avital Shkury, a 13-year-old 8th grader in Manhattan, already feels a pang of wistfulness about the day her braces will come off. “My braces feel like part of me,” she said. “I don’t want to take them off because I’ll probably never need them again.”
Yet, for every TikToker posting melancholic “glow downs” about their braces-free smile, there are plenty of others eager to face the world with their newly unadorned teeth.
“It felt so good getting them off,” recalled Ellie Norris, a 17-year-old from Boulder, Colo., reflecting on starting her senior year without braces. “I could eat all the foods again without having to worry things were getting stuck.”
Dr. Driesman, the Connecticut orthodontist, is well-acquainted with this sentiment.
“I see so many kids who are so excited and want braces on ASAP,” she said. “But if I had a penny for every one of those kids eventually asking me, ‘When am I getting them off?’ I’d be very rich.”