Dental Frequently Asked Questions in Ann Arbor

Does your dental office use lasers?

Yes! Our soft-tissue laser allows us to treat gum disease, perform crown lengthening, harvest and place gum grafts, reduce gum tissue for aesthetics, and do biopsies. You will need no stitches after laser surgery, and bleeding is minimal. Most patients recover more quickly after laser treatments than they do following traditional surgery.

My smile is missing teeth. What do you suggest I do?

You need to first schedule a consultation with Dr. Olsen. He can assess your oral health and discuss your options for replacement teeth. In general, you can choose from crown and bridgework, partial or full dentures, and dental implants. Between all of them, dental implants offer the most long-lasting, comfortable, and natural-looking choice.

My spouse snores at night! Can you help?

Yes! First, you will need to schedule an appointment with us. One out of eight people who snore have sleep apnea, a serious medical condition that increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Depending on the severity of your spouse’s case, Dr. Olsen may be able to prescribe an oral appliance to alleviate snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea.

I want to know more about changing my smile’s appearance. What do you suggest?

We offer a wide range of cosmetic services, and after a consultation with Dr. Olsen, you'll know which treatments will deliver the smile of your dreams. We offer teeth whitening and porcelain veneers as just a few options to help you achieve the smile you desire.

Are there differences between over-the-counter teeth whiteners and professional teeth whiteners?

Over-the-counter whiteners are not as effective as professional-grade treatments. The whitening kits you buy at the drugstore are not customized to fit the shape of your teeth, making them messy and uncomfortable. In addition, they typically only whiten two to three shades.

With professional whitening, you have more options. We have home teeth whitening kits that are custom designed for maximum comfort and efficiency. Each night for a week or two, you’ll need to apply our professional-grade whitening gel to the trays, and then wear them for about half an hour. Within just a few days, you’ll notice a difference, and by the time the treatment is complete, your smile should be up to 8 shades whiter.

I have chronic headaches. Can you help?

Chronic headaches may be a symptom of a misaligned bite, bruxism (teeth grinding), or a TMJ disorder. Dr. Olsen will carefully examine your occlusion (bite), jaw, head, and neck to determine the underlying cause of your pain. Often, we can correct this kind of problem with a custom-made mouthpiece. Call our dental office if you have more questions about headache relief with non-surgical therapies.

What can you do to straighten my smile?

Our dental office has many options to straighten your smile. We are a Gold Plus Invisalign provider, which means we do more Invisalign treatments than just about anyone in the area. We also offer the option to do veneers, and even simple bonding touch-ups to correct minor crowding of your teeth. Finally, if your case is very complex and requires a specialist, we work with a team of orthodontists in the area to provide for you a comprehensive approach to fixing your smile. Come on in for a free consultation and smile simulation to see what’s possible and make a plan to get the smile of your dreams!