There are ways to bond brackets or place bands around gold crowns to proceed with braces. If your dentist is not comfortable with the gold crowns please get a second opinion for other options.
The worst that can happen to the tooth is that it needs to be removed. The worst that can happen to you is more severe. An untreated dental infection can lead to abscess or spreading of the infection. There are rare instances where the infection can spread and become life threatening. I would be...