Local anesthesia should produce a desirable anesthetic effect without unnecessary injury. The inferior alveolar nerve, vein, and artery are found near the mandibular foramen, and the pterygoid plexus is located posteriorly and superiorly. Therefore, the conventional technique, which aims the needle toward the mandibular foramen, is accompanied by risks for complications such as vascular or [...]

Insertion Angle
The predicted insertion angles were 60.1 ± 7.1° (mean ± SD) in the anterior technique and 49.7 ± 5.3° in the conventional technique. There was a significant difference (Figure 2).

Insertion Angle
The insertion angles in the conventional and anterior techniques were measured using CT images of the head and neck region of patients (27 males and 38 females) stored in the Nippon Dental University Hospital. The CT images at the level near the mandibular foramen, excluding image abnormalities, were examined in 61 sites on the [...]

The conventional inferior alveolar nerve block technique (conventional technique) is generally delivered by inserting the needle tip toward and immediately above the mandibular sulcus or lingula. According to several reports, the needle tip must reach the proximity of the inferior alveolar nerve to ensure an anesthetic effect. However, the conventional technique is associated with risks [...]