SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Meghan Larson is no "Ugly Betty."

Sure, she has braces on her teeth. But not the clunky sort that actress America Ferrera flashes on her hit television show.

No, Meghan's braces are smaller and lighter. They're accented in pink and white. They are, she's willing to admit, sort of a cool fashion accessory.

"I was thinking it might be horrible to have braces," says Meghan, a seventh-grader at Holy Spirit School in Sacramento. "But almost everyone in my class has them, and that makes it fun."

Fun? Braces?

Who would have guessed, a generation ago, that those two words could ever be uttered in the same sentence?

Not Meghan's mom, Sue, who sported a full "metal mouth" and headgear during her formative years.

"It was certainly embarrassing, uncomfortable and socially awkward," she recalls.

But in the end, her perfect smile made it all worthwhile.

Today's braces are more visually appealing and less painful, and wearers don't have to make as many visits to the orthodontist. But the basic function is the same: to straighten misaligned teeth and jaws.

Crooked teeth, overbites and underbites, among other orthodontic issues, are quite common. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists estimates that about 75 percent of people could benefit from a visit to one of their specialists. Heredity, accidents and thumb sucking are a few common causes of orthodontic problems.

Braces work by putting pressure against the teeth, moving them gradually over time. Most of the pressure comes from a metal wire, called an archwire, that runs on the outside of the teeth. Latex bands apply a bit more pressure.

Some important breakthroughs occurred in the 1970s, most notably a technique called "direct bonding," in which orthodontists attach flexible nickel titanium archwires to tiny brackets made of metal or ceramic. The brackets are then bonded to the front of teeth.

Aesthetically, modern-day braces-wearers have more choices than before. One company markets its braces as showy "jewelry for the mouth." Other braces are attached to the inner side of teeth, making them nearly invisible.

Archwires and elastic ties now come in a variety of hues, which have made visits to the orthodontic chair far more palatable to youngsters.

"They get holiday colors, they get school colors, they get rainbows," says Dr. Kelly Giannetti, an orthodontist who practices in Sacramento and West Sacramento. "They get colors to match their prom dresses."

More than half of teenagers recently surveyed about their braces report that they are not self-conscious about them. More than a quarter of them say their braces make them look cool. Nearly 60 percent say they've matched their outfits with the bands on their braces.