I'm 27 and currently using the Damon system.
I used to wear braces, about 3 years ago which were the traditional stainless steel one. I had this done in the UK.
Had it in for 2 years and then had a fixed metal retainer for my lower set of teeth and a plastic removable retainer for the upper set.
I lost my first retainer and it took about 2 to 3 weeks for me to get a replacement that by that time the teeth had moved. Then I became lazy and didn't use my upper retainer most of the time. A couple of months ago my metal wire retainer for the lower set broke and then when the orthodontist (Msian - Subang Orthodontist Specialist) had a look, basically the teeth had moved and she wasn't satisfied with the overall result from my previous braces so I decided to wear the braces again. From her explanation about the different types of braces etc, I thought it would be wise to invest in the Damon braces. She reckoned that I would probably need to wear for 1 year, at most.
Comparing the two types on several aspects:
1. Price - Damon system is definitely more expensive. My total cost is about 10K(including retainers). I'm paying RM2500+RM2500 then the rest by RM700 installments. I also initially inquired about the traditional braces, which were going to cost about RM2500 less, so if you opt for the stainless steel it's RM7500, more or less.
2. Appearance - Honestly, I think they look about the same, but with the Damon system, there is no rubber band fitted around the brackets so I guess you don't need to worry about the discolouration of the band or the wire coming out etc.
3. Pain/discomfort - Much the same. I normally eat soft food for the first 2 to 3 days. Pureed food, soups, porridge and after those first few days your teeth will function like normal and you can eat your usual meals. Always avoid nuts, chewing gum, biting into a whole apple or other fruits. Same rule applies to both, in fact maybe to all types of braces.
4. Overall effect/wearing time - This I cannot comment yet because I have only started wearing the Damon braces and I would think that even if I was wearing the same type of braces, there would still be the proficiency of the orthodontist to take into consideration hence it might vary with a different 'operator'. However, according to my orthodontist and what I've read, it could effectively reduce your wearing time by 6 months compared to traditional braces.
Sorry this was a bit lengthy but just sharing my experiences and thoughts. Hope it's useful!
BTW, I kinda like wearing braces. Anyone feels the same?

It was not a pleasant at all to wear braces.. ...
Sometime really feel like wanna have all the bracket and wire removed right away!!. . .