Our community has been through a lot due to the ongoing pandemic, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your health and safety.

Infection control has always been a top priority of our dental practice, and you may have seen that we take great pride in this. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable. We want to tell you about the infection control procedures we follow in our practice to keep the patients, staff, and the ones we come in contact with in our daily lives safe.

Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued.

Upon the emergence of COVID-19, here are some additional measures we take to ensure your safety:
  • Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office, and we will be taking your temperature. Based on your answers and if your temperature is 100.4°F or higher, we will need to reschedule your appointment.
  • We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will also find some in other places in the office for you to use as needed.
  • You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect. Similarly, please limit the personal belongings that you bring inside to your appointment.
  • Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients when possible. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment. Please respect the social distancing requirement of 6 feet where practical.
  • We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time. To that end, please consider calling from your car to check on the status of the reception area and be on time. Also, please come alone to your appointments. If needed, one guardian/caretaker is permitted, but they must remain in the reception area.
  • Please arrive with face masks/coverings for they will be required at all times for both patients and staff when appropriate.
  • An antiseptic mouth rinse will be used just prior to treatment for the health and safety of all. Where possible, expect changes in how we do certain procedures to eliminate or reduce the spread of aerosols and splatter during treatment. For example, for now we will be temporarily eliminating ultrasonic tools and teeth polishing during your teeth cleaning appointments until further notice.
  • Clear sneeze guard barriers between you and our front desk personnel will be used to aid in social distancing, and we ask that we all limit our conversations to what’s necessary to limit contact time. More regular and frequent sanitizing of high touch areas and items will be done for your health and safety. This includes door and other handles, light switches, countertops, etc.
We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at 415-752-8311 .

Thank you for being our patient. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors, and friends.

Sincerely,
Dr. Leo Arellano

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Porcelain Veneers

How do I maintain my veneers

Do porcelain veneers stain with the consumption of tea, coffee, and wine?
When well made and taken care of, the porcelain is not expected to stain. If it does, it is a superficial stain that can be polished off. What can stain and be more difficult to correct is the visible edge or margin of the veneer. Placing these edges in non-visible areas will result in a more successful esthetic result.

If I have my upper teeth treated with porcelain veneers, will my lower teeth still be a different color?
Porcelain veneers on only the upper teeth can be made to match the color of the lower teeth depending on the desired esthetic goals.

What are realistic expectations?
Porcelain veneers used to be thin facings that only covered the visible side of the teeth with very little to no grinding down of the teeth. This was compared to the typical porcelain crowns (“caps”) made with metal underneath that required grinding down of the teeth. People recognized these crowns by the black lines at the edge of the crowns. As veneers became popular and as patients demanded better results along with the types of cases that were being treated, there was a change in how dentists did them. In cases where teeth are more crooked and discolored, more grinding down of the teeth is needed. Since they did not cover the entire tooth or because they did not involve metal, they were still called porcelain veneers. It comes down to understanding what needs to be done to get the desired result. The more crooked or darker the teeth, then the more grinding on the teeth or the more opaque (less lifelike translucent) the porcelain needs to be.

We are here to help Call us at 415-881-4343 or Schedule an Appointment

How do I maintain my veneers?
Veneers are maintained the same way that you would maintain your own natural teeth – good daily oral hygiene and regular professional cleanings.

What foods should I avoid?
Assuming the teeth were strong and healthy to start, there are generally no restrictions. Just like your own natural teeth, one should avoid very hot, cold, and hard foods that damages both veneers and natural teeth.

What habits should I avoid or stop?
Avoid using your teeth as tools – like to hold or open things. Always consider wearing a nightguard while sleeping. Teeth grinding and clenching are the most destructive forces on veneers and natural teeth.

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Real Patients Real Results

Before and After Photos

Snap-On Smile® as a "quick cosmetic fix" until appropriate treatment can be afforded.

Photo by Dr. Leo Arellano

Cosmetic Dentistry – BNA Image – 02
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What our patients are saying...

originally posted on Google
5.0

We’ve gone to Dr Arellano for many years and have never been disappointed with any of the work he’s done. Recently my husband broke a tooth and Leo got him in and had the tooth repaired within a few short hours. Service like that is very hard to finds these days. His office staff is fantastic. Nice people you are always glad to see. I would highly recommend Dr Arellano to anyone who is searching for an honest, competent, well trained dentist.

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