Braces are the best way to correct the position of teeth.  
I've never had them but my brother did. He also had to have a palate expander to help shape his teeth.
Are they painful to have?  Was that palate expander painful?
he didn't seem to be in too much pain. I'd imagine it's been made to be as painless as possible since it's such a common procedure.
How long did your brother wear the braces?
It was so long ago, I don't exactly remember. At least three years because he had very crooked teeth.