Try braces for 6 years in a row. (around 6 years) What a pain in the ^%$. I got them in grade 4 and took them out last summer. I have had eveything you need in braces. I had a crooked jaw and a underbite so they needed to rearrange my entire mouth.

I had 4 teeth pulled and I was fine. They were baby teeth though. I've had the expander, headgear, mouthguard, 3 types and sizes of elastics, spacers (we call them doughnuts ), and a retainer now. I had to go back every 6 months for a check up and now I have a wire in the back of my bottom teeth for life. I can't escape the metal!

Good luck, the smile you get int the end is all worth it!

(Just make sure you follow your ortho's instructins and wear everything you need to. This guy I know didn't, and thye put them back on...not worth it...)