Tracy, I also got more ill after adding braces to the picture in 1995. You can get plastic braces and retainers. There are plastic braces that look like the metals ones that are stuck to individual teeth and have a wire running through them or you can get something called "Invisilign" braces, which are all plastic. Google it on the internet and you can see them. You can also get invisilign-type retainers, which I have, and avoid metal all together.

Hope this helps,
Gabriella