One of our goals at Bella Vista Family Dental is to remove any barriers in the way of you taking care of your oral health. With sedation dentistry, we can help even those with severe dental fear, or those in need of intensive treatment, get through their appointment comfortably.

Dr. Kennedy completed advanced training in sedation while attending his General Practice Residency at Palmetto Health Hospital in Columbia, SC. As a practicing dentist for the past eight years, he has successfully provided hundreds of patients with IV and oral sedation for their procedures. Patient comfort and safety is Dr. Kennedy’s top priority and he tailors every patient’s sedation experience to meet their unique needs. At Bella Vista Dental, Dr. Kennedy and our skilled team aim to help patients feel relaxed and at ease in our care.

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You may benefit from sedation dentistry if…

  • You have anxiety or fear about visiting the dentist.
  • You have a strong gag reflex.
  • You need extensive dental work, or complex dental work like oral surgery.
  • You are afraid of injections (for example, local anesthesia).
  • You can’t take the sounds of dental work being performed.
  • You have extremely sensitive teeth.
  • You have trouble sitting still for extended periods of time.

Many patients who have used dental sedation during their appointment find that they have little to no memory of their treatment. And we’ve seen firsthand how much sedation dentistry can positively affect someone’s experience at the dentist.

Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)

Nitrous oxide is one of the most common types of sedation used throughout dentistry. With this option, we place a small mask over your nose for you to breathe through. We can adjust the flow of nitrous oxide as necessary, and once your dental work is complete, the effects wear off in a matter of minutes.

Oral Conscious Sedation

With oral conscious sedation, we’ll prescribe you a pill to take before your scheduled appointment. The calming effects will take effect in time for your treatment. While you may feel drowsy, you’ll still remain conscious and able to communicate with our team.

IV Sedation

If you require more heavy sedation for whatever reason, we may recommend the IV sedation method. This fast-acting option is administered through a vein, and we’ll have a licensed professional monitoring the level of sedation.