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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San Francisco doesn’t have to search for “snoring and sleep apnea treatment near me”

San Francisco doesn't have to search for

Dr. Leo Arellano and our team help people in San Francisco and across the Bay Area find relief from snoring and sleep apnea using comfortable oral appliances and recommending changes in habits. People do not have to do an internet search for “treatment near me,” they can simply visit our office conveniently located at 3030 Geary Blvd. in San Francisco, CA 94118.

The development of CPAP therapy

Before 1980, a tracheotomy, which involves creating a hole in the throat to enable a patient to breathe without using the mouth or nose, was the common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) at that time. A physician, Colin Sullivan, at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia made a discovery that greatly improved treatment. Using a vacuum cleaner motor, tubes, and a diver’s mask, he created a rudimentary air pressure machine to test on a sleep apnea sufferer who refused the tracheotomy, but volunteered to be a test subject for Dr. Sullivan’s experiment. The machine worked and the concept of a CPAP machine was born.

Problems with CPAP 

Although CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) therapy, commonly prescribed by physicians, is effective in treating obstructive sleep apnea, it isn’t for everyone. Patient compliance with this treatment is low due to complaints such as discomfort, inconvenience, dry eyes, congestion, a dry mouth, and even social stigma, which eventually cause patients to abandon their treatment. Although CPAP was a wonderful improvement over historic treatments, now a comfortable, convenient dental device can bring relief for many without the problems inherent with CPAP.

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

Dr. Arellano offers an easy to use, affordable alternative to CPAP for patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Although a number of oral appliances are available that vary in materials, design, and appearance, they generally fall into one of two categories:

  • Tongue retaining appliances hold the tongue in place to prevent it from blocking the airway
  • Mandibular repositioning appliances position the jaw forward and down to keep the patient’s airway open.

Dr. Arellano and his team can provide custom fit appliances to relieve the snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. They may also recommend lifestyle changes such as:

  • Avoiding medications and alcohol that cause drowsiness
  • Weight loss
  • Allergy medicines or nasal sprays to keep the nasal passages open
  • Smoking cessation

Don’t search for “snoring and sleep apnea treatment near me,” just call 415-881-4343 and schedule an appointment with the team that has extensive experience in helping San Francisco sleep well.

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Porcelain Veneers to Repair Broken Lower Teeth

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What our patients are saying...

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5.0

I’m happy to wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Leo Arellano. Dr. Arellano has been my dentist since the late 1980s, shortly after he established his practice, and I have relied on his expertise since then. He is an exceptionally skilled and caring dentist. Everyone who is part of his team represents the practice with a very high degree of professionalism and sincerity.

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