How long is the whole process with braces?!

depends on you. age, how crowded or spaced out your teeth are, male or female, ethnicity, sucking thumb habits or tongue thrusts.. even allergies can be a factor. And spacers are put in between your 1st molar/premolar and 1st molar/second molar to create space for a band (another piece of metal in your mouth). Some orthodontists may or may not use it depending on your case.. again, the time from the consultation to actually getting the brackets on, depend on the orthodontist. some do same day, some may ask you to come back. either way, theres a preliminary "work up" to be done that consists of xrays, impressions and facial/oral photos that are necessary to properly evaluate your case.

Depends on how bad your teeth are. The more crooked, the more time it takes. Always wear your retainer, it will take even longer if you forget to put it on