To provide temporary analgesia for intraoral or facial pain related to the following:
Trauma requiring intraoral or facial laceration repair
Dental trauma resulting in fractured teeth
Infection (tooth abscess, root impaction, gum disease) (TABLE 79.1)
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Absolute Contraindications
Hypersensitivity/allergic reaction to local anesthetic agents
Relative Contraindications
Coagulopathy
Uncooperative or obtunded patients
LANDMARKS AND TECHNIQUE
Equipment and Patient Positioning
Adjust examination chair to accommodate patient height
Ensure adequate lighting to visualize oral landmarks
Assemble the necessary tools
Sterile “thumb-control” Monoject aspirating dental syringe
1½-inch 25- to 27-gauge needle
Carpule cartridges containing anesthetic (either 2% lidocaine or 0.5% bupivacaine each with epinephrine 1:100,000 and 1:200,000 respectively)
Cotton-tipped applicators for administering topical anesthetic and controlling bleeding
Apply topical anesthetic (20% benzocaine or 5% to 10% lidocaine ointment) to mucosa before injection
Use lidocaine for laceration repairs and bupivacaine for dental blocks; 0.5% bupivacaine provides roughly 1 to 3 hours of dental pulp analgesia and 4 to 9 hours of soft-tissue analgesia
Buffering with bicarbonate is not recommended
SUPRAPERIOSTEAL NERVE BLOCK
Apply topical anesthetic to apex of mucobuccal fold adjacent to the affected tooth
Lift the patient’s upper lip and pull the tissue taut
Orient needle and syringe parallel to the long axis of the tooth
Insert needle into the target area with the bevel facing the bone
Advance and aspirate until the needle is a few millimeters beyond the apex of the tooth
If aspiration is negative then inject approximately 2 mL of anesthetic (FIGURE 79.1)
INFRAORBITAL NERVE BLOCK
See Chapter 80 (Facial Nerve Blocks)
POSTERIOR SUPERIOR ALVEOLAR NERVE BLOCK
Apply topical anesthetic to apex of mucobuccal fold above the second maxillary molar
Have the patient partially open the mouth and deviate the mandible toward the side of the pain to create more room
Use your index finger to retract the patient’s cheek on the side being injected and pull the tissue taut