inferior alveolar nerve anesthesia

(noun)

Inferior alveolar nerve anesthesia is a technique for dental anesthesia, used to cause numbness to the areas of the face innervated by the inferior alveolar nerve; namely, the lower lip and the teeth and gingivae of the mandible. This procedure attempts to anesthetize the inferior alveolar nerve prior to it entering the mandibular foramen.

Related Terms

Examples of inferior alveolar nerve anesthesia in the following topics:

  • Dental Anesthesia

    • The most common local anesthetic technique, effective for the lower teeth and jaw, is inferior alveolar nerve anesthesia.
    • Several non-dental nerves are usually anesthetized during an inferior alveolar block.
    • When the inferior alveolar nerve is blocked, the mental nerve is blocked also, resulting in a numb lip and chin.
    • Nerves lying near the point where the inferior alveolar nerve enters the mandible often are also anesthetized during inferior alveolar anesthesia.
    • A dentist injects a local anesthetic into the inferior alveolar nerve before extracting a tooth.

  • Mammalian Systems and Protective Mechanisms

    • The muscular diaphragm, which facilitates breathing, is inferior to the lungs, marking the end of the thoracic cavity.
    • Bronchi are innervated by nerves of both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems that control muscle contraction or relaxation, respectively.
    • Numerous alveoli (sing. alveolus) and alveolar sacs surround the alveolar ducts .
    • The alveolar ducts are attached to the end of each bronchiole; each duct ends in approximately 100 alveolar sacs.
    • Terminal bronchioles are connected by respiratory bronchioles to alveolar ducts and alveolar sacs.