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, CA area dentist describes the gum grafting treatment

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Dr. Leo Arellano, describes procedures available in his practice, including gum grafting.
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If you have recently noticed that you have receding gums, you are not alone. There are two main reasons for gum recession, and they include:

  • Periodontal disease
  • Genetics

With receding gums, a dentist may describe the benefits of a gum grafting treatment. This is a procedure that can be performed in San Francisco, CA for enhancing the smile’s appearance and addressing the damage caused by periodontal disease. Dr. Leo Arellano and his team of professionals encourage patients to visit regularly and take the time to learn about procedures such as gum grafting available in the office.

What is a gum graft?

Just like tissues elsewhere on the body can be “grafted” into place with certain surgical procedures, gum tissue can also be grafted to replace the gum tissue that has receded — or the tissue that was never there before. Patients with extremely long teeth may consider this as a cosmetic treatment to cover the teeth and create a new gum line that is more in proportion with their smiles. Patients who have experienced gum disease and want to restore their appearance can also consider this type of treatment.

How is gum grafting performed?

There are two methods of improving the gums available in the practice of Dr. Leo Arellano. First, patients can go with a more traditional grafting procedure. This is when donor gum tissue is used in the smile to restore the receding gums and create a more pleasing gum line. This should only be done after the gum disease has been treated, as this condition, if ignored, will continue to cause the gum tissue to pull away from the teeth. Another option is the Pinhole Surgical Technique®. This service is performed by Dr. Leo Arellano and may be suggested to patients who want a more painless procedure that is less invasive and does not require nearly as long of a period of time for healing as conventional gum grafting does. Pinhole surgery is done by our team and is completed with the use of a small dental instrument that loosens the gum tissues, pulls them over the natural tooth structure, and keeps them in place with the use of collagen inserts. The entire process is done in just one appointment and ensures patients have a pleasant experience with their procedure.

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

Which treatment is right for me?

There is no right or wrong answer to this. We encourage patients to book a consultation appointment with Dr. Leo Arellano to discuss the options available to them. When it comes to enhancing the smile, many choose to move forward with the Pinhole Surgical Technique®, as this is not only effective, but also fast and noninvasive. However, some patients may not be considered appropriate candidates, and this is when other solutions should be discussed.

How long does the treatment take?

Most gum grafting procedures are done in-house within a relatively brief period of time. Traditional grafting can take longer because of the time needed for recovery. However, with the Pinhole Surgical Technique®, patients often experience no downtime and, with the use of a specialized mouthwash, will find that healing is fast.

Will my insurance cover my procedure?

Dr. Leo Arellano and his team of professionals encourage patients to visit regularly and take the time to learn about procedures such as gum grafting available in the office.

Many patients who are interested in dental treatments such as this may be wondering about the overall cost for treatment. In some cases, patients with dental insurance plans may be able to reduce or eliminate the cost of their procedure. This varies greatly from plan to plan, as some plans consider gum grafting an aesthetic and “elective” treatment and not a necessary one. During the decision-making process, our front office team will process your dental insurance information and find out if your treatment could be covered and the overall cost reduced with application of your benefits.

Is gum grafting right for you?

Contact Dr. Leo Arellano in the San Francisco, CA area today to discuss this and other cosmetic procedures available for patients in the community. Book an appointment at his practice by calling the front office team at 415-881-4343 and scheduling a visit to the office at 3030 Geary Boulevard. With the help of our staff, patients in and around the community can enjoy quality services for enhancing the smile’s health and appearance.

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A missing lower front tooth replaced by a fixed all-ceramic bonded bridge. (a removable stayplate)

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Highly recommend Dr Arellano’s practice.
Dr. Arellano and his staffs are pros and with long experience. It’s your true dentist next door. You can see from pictures hanged on the walk that most, if not all, of his staffs have been working with him for ages. It speaks for itself for how well Arellano DDS PC is!

Have been patronizing this place for many years. Back then I used to live in the same neighborhood. Their service is so good that even after I moved to a new neighborhood that’s super far away from here I still continue to come here for all my dental care.

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"Why choose us?" The bottom line is, it's all about YOU.

Contact our San Francisco dental office to schedule a one on one consultation with Dr. Arellano, and experience the benefits of a truly healthy mouth and a great looking smile.

Dr. Leo Arellano is a Board-certified dentist San Francisco, CA and nearby Bay Area communities Dr. Leo Arellano is a Board-certified dentist with more than three decades of experience serving San Francisco, CA and nearby Bay Area communities. He is licensed in LANAP periodontal therapy and certified by the Institute of Advanced Laser Dentistry certified in Nd:YAG laser treatment. Dr. Arellano is known for providing conservative restorative treatments and artisan-quality cosmetic enhancements, using the latest technology and techniques. He has extensive experience in Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique for treating gum disease.