I had braces for 4 years. I heard they hurt more as an adult than as a young person, though.
Lots and lots of pain killers.
(not at once though! haha) Whenever I went to have the bands tightened, I would take a pain killer before going, because then by the time it wore off, the pain was subsiding.
Ya get used to it after a bit.
and there's nothing like the day you get em off!