The incisive block is used to anesthetize mandibular anterior teeth and premolars on one side without affecting the tongue. Which block is described?

• A. Inferior alveolar nerve block
• B. Incisive block
• C. Gow-Gates block
• D. Mental nerve block

Answer: (B)

The incisive block targets the incisive nerve as it passes through the incisive canal, giving pulpal anesthesia to the mandibular anterior teeth and premolars on one side while leaving the tongue sensation intact. This happens because the lingual nerve, which carries sensation to the tongue, is not affected by this block.

In contrast, an inferior alveolar nerve block anesthetizes the entire mandibular nerve before it divides, so it typically results in numbness of all the mandibular teeth on that side and also involves the lingual nerve, affecting the tongue. A Gow-Gates block is a higher, broader approach that anesthetizes most of the mandibular nerve’s branches, including the tongue, so it isn’t limited to the teeth on one side. A mental nerve block provides anesthesia to the soft tissues of the chin and lower lip and the buccal gingiva near the premolars but does not reliably numb the pulpal tissues of the teeth themselves.