What to do about ugly teeth?

I am 26 years old and I've never been to a dentist. My parents don't believe in dental care, except when there are cavities, and I've never had a cavity, so they never took me to the dentist. I brush my teeth every day and use Listerine. Unfortunately, my teeth look horrible because of orthodontic problems,and I don't like my face, either. My face is long and narrow, and my mouth hangs open naturally. My upper teeth are very crowded. When I smile big, the smile is all gum, with only a little bit of the upper teeth showing. I'm worried about what I can do to make my teeth look better without the risks of major surgery. I know people who have had bad experiences with dentists. My friend got her jaw broken to expand it, and her jaw hurts whenever it rains. If I take after my mom, who also has horrible teeth but who still has all of them at 62, dentists won't even be able to extract my teeth without major surgery.
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Well I don't work in the field, but I've seen those 'makeover' shows where cosmetic dentistry refines the gums somehow. You may also benefit from braces though may have to get some teeth extracted if there is overcrowding as I had. Veneers is another option (and similar to bonding but usually lasts a lot longer), however, it tends to be very expensive. The dentist shaves off part of the tooth and places a covering, veneer, to help the appearance of the smile. I would prefer to get braces myself especially if it is less costly as the veneers actually get rid of a certain part of the tooth. When I was looking for an orthodontist for braces, I got a few different opinions as well as prices. My ortho was also a professor at the local dental school and that gave me more comfort while he had a nice chairside manner. If one gets braces, they must always wear their retainers afterwards or their teeth can revert back to how crooked they had once been.
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