I really want to get braces to align and straighten my teeth but, I worry about the pain.
I wore braces for over two years, and I can understand your apprehension - they're painful. However, they do offer something called invisalign now
Yea I know, but in 2014 a systematic review concluded in insufficient evidence proving that they worked. 
Oh interesting. So the braces weren't effective in the long term, or the alternative treatments  - like invisalign - weren't working like braces?
Invisalign, but some research can be misleading, they are considered effective  for moderate crowding of the front teeth, but not as effective as braces.