I had braces for 2 years, age 13 to 15. They weren't that bad really, just hurt for a day when you went to get them tightened. Then after they were off I had to wear a retainer for a while to keep my teeth straight then I had a metal piece behind my lower front teeth until I got my wisdom teeth out so my fronts wouldn't get pushed out of line.
I had to have them though, my teeth were bad, pretty crooked. But they're straight now and look better than if I hadn't had them. My brother and my cousin also had to have braces.