The inferior alveolar injection primarily anesthetizes which nerve?

• A. Inferior Alveolar nerve
• B. Mental nerve
• C. Incisive nerve
• D. Buccal nerve

Answer: (A)

The underlying idea is that the inferior alveolar block is designed to interrupt the main trunk of the inferior alveolar nerve as it enters the mandibular foramen. By depositing anesthetic there, the nerve’s transmission to the teeth on that side is blocked, affecting the pulpal nerves of the mandibular teeth. The mental and incisive nerves are branches that come off this trunk, so they are anesthetized as a result of blocking the main nerve, but they are not the primary target of the injection itself. The buccal nerve, which supplies the buccal mucosa and gingiva, is a separate structure and is not the main target of this block (a separate buccal block would be used if those tissues need numbness).