General and Preventive Care for Greenbrae

Every patient, regardless of age, should see a dentist twice a year for cleanings and exams.The purpose of a cleaning is to help you remove harmful bacteria and plaque from your smile, while an exam will help Dr. Shapiro assess your current health and offer treatment suggestions if necessary.Maybe you just need to spend a little more time brushing and flossing, or maybe you need more advanced help.Whatever your situation, Dr. Shapiro is always happy to consult with patients and answer questions.

Comprehensive Exams

During every regular checkup, Dr. Shapiro will complete a thorough oral exam to look for cavities, gum disease, teeth grinding, malocclusion, and even oral cancer.We take our time with exams because of how important they are for understanding your needs. After your exam, Dr. Shapiro will talk to you about your treatment options. If you have questions about what we recommend, we would love to hear them. In order for you to make good choices about your own care, you need to understand your needs and your options. If there’s anything about your diagnosis or the treatment plan we recommend that you don’t understand, let’s talk about it.

Why Are Oral Cancer Screenings Important?

Every year, oral cancer claims more lives than cervical or skin cancer.And while those most vulnerable to it are those who smoke, use other tobacco products, or who drink alcohol excessively, a rising number of cases—as many as 25 percent—are in patients with none of the most common risk factors.Some of these, in both women and men, have actually been linked to HPV. Dr. Shapiro performs an oral cancer screening at every exam because a patient’s chance of making a full recovery depends on an early diagnosis and treatment.

Tooth-Colored Fillings

Cavities are very common in patients of all ages, but especially young patients who are still learning how to brush and floss.To treat cavities and restore oral health, Dr. Shapiro uses tooth-colored fillings.Made of durable composite resin, tooth-colored fillings support the tooth’s natural structure, so less of your tooth has to be removed in preparation.To protect vulnerable teeth from developing cavities in the first place, Dr. Shapiro may recommend dental sealants, which physically protect the chewing surfaces of teeth from harmful bacteria.

Pediatric Dentistry

Your child’s teeth require special care, and that’s why Dr. Lea Shapiro places a special emphasis on pediatric dental services. Our caring, compassionate doctor and staff can help your child develop a positive relationship with the dentist — something that will set her up for a lifetime of beautiful teeth and a healthy smile.

We recommend that children have their first visit to the dentist around the time their first tooth erupts, or by their first birthday. It may seem early, but this initial visit is about more than checking for decay and other problems — it’s about introducing your little one to the sights, smells, and sounds of the dental office. That’s why this first visit is usually short, and doesn’t involve much in the way of “treatment.” This appointment is also your chance to ask any questions you may have about keeping your baby’s mouth clean, like how to prevent baby bottle tooth decay or when to begin brushing little teeth.

Call our Greenbrae dental office at (415) 461-5926 if you’d like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Shapiro. Our practice is committed to comprehensive exams and patient education, and we offer a broad range of today’s best general, cosmetic, and restorative services. We’re happy to serve patients from San Rafael, Novato, San Francisco, Berkeley, and all surrounding communities.

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Call our Greenbrae dental office at (415) 461-5926 if you’d like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Shapiro. Our practice is committed to comprehensive exams and patient education, and we offer a broad range of today’s best general, cosmetic, and restorative services. We’re happy to serve patients from San Rafael, Novato, San Francisco, Berkeley, Greenbrae, Corte Madera, Sausalito, Kentfield, Mill Valley, Tiburon and all surrounding communities.