When should a child first be assessed for braces?

Around seven. Not because most seven-year-olds need braces, but because a small number have problems that are far easier to correct while the jaw is still growing.
Straightening your teeth as an adult: what is different after 30

Adult teeth move on the same biology as a teenager’s. What changes is the ground they are moving through, and how much less room there is for error.
Invisalign or braces? How to choose between them

Both move teeth. They differ in what they can correct, what they ask of you, and how visible they are while you wear them.