I've had my braces off for a couple of years, and I was one of the first
patients that my orthodontist actually consented to working with ceramics.

I was 37 and worried about metal, but as it stood, I ended up with metal on the
lowers, and ceramic on the uppers.

As far as the pain factor is concerned, each had their own disadvantages.
Ceramics felt larger and kind of bulky, although they were much smoother against
the insides of my lips. Metal were smaller, but a bit sharper. With metal,
your orthodontist can use more torque when tightening up your arch wire without
fear of breaking a bracket.

With ceramic, there's only so much torque they can use. Ceramic brackets have a
tendency to pop off easier, as well. Overall, ceramic brackets can increase
your time in braces by quite a bit. My orthodontist estimated that my time in
braces went about 4 months longer in ceramic than I would have spent in all
metal.

The cost difference was minimal.

So, it boils down to comfort and aesthetics. What are you willing to put up
with?