Category: Articles

There are many differences in the qualities and the properties of crowns.  When your insurance company tells you that they will pay a certain amount for those crowns on your front teeth, they do not care about the quality or the cosmetics of those crowns.   They usually base the reimbursement on the cheapest crowns available.  You, as the consumer, have the right to have a crown that is of better quality and cosmetics. You have the right to “upgrade” that crown to one that you will be happy to smile about!

What are the benefits of an upgraded crown?

1. Best match to your natural teeth. They possess an ideal blend of translucency and lifelike appearance.
2.  They are all-ceramic. No black line at the gum line!
3.  Durability:  they provide excellent strength, and they are less likely to crack, fracture, or chip.
4.  Conservation of tooth structure. Therefore: minimal removal of natural tooth structure.
5. Multiple options…..crowns, bridges, veneers, onlays and inlays.
6. Two year warranty.
7. Custom color shading available.

So the next time you are diagnosed needing a crown, ask Dr. Hopkins what your options are and if an upgraded crown may be right for you.

Are you plagued by sore, painful, ugly mouth sores?  Oral herpes is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. The virus causes painful sores on your lips, gums, tongue, roof of your mouth, and inside your cheeks. It also can cause symptoms such as fever and muscle aches. These sores usually lasts 7 to 10 days. With our Gemini Diode Laser we can stop these from developing or progressing with one easy treatment. At the first sign of symptoms such as burning or itching, give our office a call at 727-733-1175 and we will schedule you immediately. Early detection and treatment may prevent the sore from developing.  Even if it has already developed we can greatly decrease the time the sore lasts. So don’t delay!

Dr. Mike Hopkins

 

All snore guards are not created equal.

Some are designed as a two piece appliance with the goal of advancing the lower jaw to create a more open airway space in the back of the mouth.  This does work some of the time, but can also create TMJ problems.  The Full Breath Snore Appliance is designed as a single upper appliance that pushes the back of the tongue down to create a larger airway space.  In addition, the Full Breath Appliance is one of the only snore appliances that can be adapted to be used in conjunction with oxygen for those patients that are C-PAP intolerant.  Dr. Hopkins will be happy to work with you, as well as your sleep specialists, to obtain the best result for you.

 

Mike Hopkins, DDS

Many of our new patients have been told at other offices that they have gum disease and that they need to have deep cleanings to correct it.  Although that may be true in some cases, the majority of these people do not have a problem at all.  What should you look for?  First of all, a periodontal probing is absolutely necessary.  You should be hearing the clinician calling out numbers to be recorded.  1 to 3 is normal; 4 and 5 are the beginning stages of gum disease and is very reversible; 6 and 7 are more advanced; 8 and 9 are very advanced; and 10 the tooth is lost. If your probings are 5 or greater you probably need some type of treatment. However, probings can be skewed by the clinician to create a false reading.  If you have been getting your teeth cleaned every six months, you brush and floss regularly, and all of a sudden a new office is telling you that you have a problem, you may want to get a second opinion.  Regardless, gum disease may be a serious condition. Not only does it affect your mouth, but research has shown us that it has effects throughout your entire body.  Bottom line: if you are comfortable with your diagnosis then get it fixed. If not, get a second opinion .

Do you avoid going to the dentist because you hate getting a shot?  A lot of that is about to change.  Kovanaze is a dental anesthetic that is inhaled through the nose. It has recently been approved by the FDA and will be released in the near future.  It is comprised of Tetracaine HCL, a well known anesthetic, and Oxymetazoline HCl, a vasoconstrictor.  A measured dose is sprayed into one side of the nose and the result is a numbing of the teeth of the upper jaw from the second bicuspid through the central incisor. A spay in each nostril will numb the front ten teeth, all without the use of a needle.  Hopkins Aesthetic & Reconstructive Dentistry will be one of the first offices in the nation to be using Kovanaze.

 

Mike Hopkins, DDS

Although “silver” fillings, technically called Amalgam fillings, do contain mercury, it has never been proven that they cause any harmful effects to our bodies. This has been confirmed by the World Health Organization, as well as the American Dental Association. That being said, my office has been MERCURY FREE for the last 30 years! That’s right, I haven’t done a silver filling in 30 years. Why? Amalgam fillings were developed by G.V. Black in 1895 and basically have not changed since. The newer, tooth-colored composite fillings actually chemically “bond” to the tooth structure, thus adding strength to the tooth, whereas amalgam fillings just fill in the space and take strength away from the tooth. After a while, the amalgam begins to corrode and leak, thus allowing decay to get underneath the filling. Composite fillings are continually getting stronger, and can be used anywhere in the mouth. However, your insurance company may refuse to pay for composite fillings in your back teeth. That’s because they do not care what goes in your mouth if it is cheaper for them.
So you decide…..120 year old “technology”, or the technology of now? (Compare that to your first cell phone, and the one you currently have!)

A mouth full of dark silver fillings, or a beautiful natural smile?

Mike Hopkins, DDS

Charcoal teeth whitening warning – dangerous – says Dunedin Dentist Dr. Mike Hopkins!
This is a new DIY (do it yourself) fad that is growing in popularity. The American Dental Association has posted a warning that this can be very dangerous to your dental health. The thought behind the activated charcoal is that many make-ups are using it to absorb oils, thus it may be good to absorb stains from teeth. However, there are NO oils to absorb from teeth. The “instructions” tell you to open a capsule of activated charcoal, wet your brush with water, and coat your brush with the charcoal. Then scrub vigorously for five minutes and rinse. Do this everyday until you achieve the whiteness you desire. What they don’t tell you is that you are not absorbing the stain, you are instead using a highly abrasive ground “rock” that abrades away the enamel surface of your teeth. ABRADES AWAY THE ENAMEL SURFACE OF YOUR TEETH! The enamel cannot be replaced. Then you are looking at the expense of laminates or crowns to repair the damage.

Please do not do this!

Dr. Mike Hopkins

Keep flossing! A New York Times article suggested that flossing may not be necessary.  However, if you read the article closely, the statement claims that there have never been any clinical trials to back  up the fact that flossing helps prevent tooth decay and the prevention of gum disease. If you read the article all the way to the end however, it states that six trials did show a 40% reduction in tooth decay in children.

Keep Flossing to Prevent Gum Disease

As far as the prevention of gum disease, it is the bacterial by-products in plaque that irritate the tissue, cause bleeding, and if left there, will eventually cause bone loss and advanced periodontal (gum) disease. Having been in practice for over 35 years, my own personal experience with patients is that the ones that floss and brush regularly have fewer cavities and are not plagued with gum disease. Just because there hasn’t been a clinical trail doesn’t mean that it isn’t the best thing for your health!

Keep Flossing!

Dr. Mike Hopkins

Dr Hopkins General Dentistry Dunedin Finds Tooth Fairy! Just in case you needed a giggle!

Ahh the joys of parenting… all the training you get to do. Sleep training, potty training, toothpaste training…

Wait, what was that last one?

One of the questions that parents have been asking around the office lately is when to move their children off of “training toothpaste” and into regular toothpaste. Answer: Immediately! Train not thy children with that useless goop! Continue reading Training Tooth Paste or Not?